A grim price list based on complexion and gender has emerged from investigations into an inter-state child trafficking network recently unearthed by Gujarat Police.
According to media reports, officials probing the racket say infants were treated as commodities, with fair-skinned babies commanding the highest sums, followed by male children.
The operation, jointly cracked by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), exposed a network that allegedly sourced newborns and infants from vulnerable families in north Gujarat and sold them to prospective buyers in Telangana, particularly Hyderabad.
According to investigators, babies with a fair complexion were sold for as much as Rs. 6–7 lakh, while darker-skinned infants fetched significantly lower amounts, typically between Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 3 lakh. Gender further influenced the price. Girl children were allegedly sold for Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh, whereas boys were priced higher, ranging from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh, depending on appearance and demand, media reports said.
The case came to light on January 29, when police intercepted a car near the Ahmedabad airport following specific intelligence inputs.
According to reports, a new born was found inside the vehicle, which was travelling from Himmatnagar towards Hyderabad. The rescue led to the arrest of four people and opened the lid on what police now describe as a well-organised inter-state operation.
The arrested accused have been identified as Vandana Panchal (34), Sumit Yadav (27) and Maulik Dave (32), all residents of Ahmedabad, along with Roshan Agrawal (42) from Hyderabad. Investigators believe they were part of a wider chain that arranged the sourcing, transport and sale of infants.
The rescued new born has been placed under medical supervision, while police continue efforts to trace her biological parents. During questioning, the accused allegedly told investigators that the baby was purchased near Himmatnagar for Rs. 3.6 lakh and was to be handed over in Hyderabad to an agent identified only as Nagraj.
Police have seized cash, mobile phones and the vehicle used to transport the child. Digital evidence is now being examined to track financial transactions, communication trails and links with other members of the network. Preliminary findings suggest that at least 10 children from Banaskantha and Vav-Tharad areas were sold in a similar manner over the past few years.
Senior officers say the accused deliberately targeted tribal and economically backward pockets of north Gujarat, where poverty, social stigma and lack of institutional support made families especially vulnerable. In several cases, the children were reportedly born out of wedlock, while in others, relatives allegedly sold infants after the parents died.
Investigators are also looking into the possible role of intermediaries in Hyderabad, including alleged links with individuals connected to IVF centres, who helped identify childless couples willing to pay for a baby. Police say the focus of the probe has now shifted to tracing the money trail and dismantling the broader network operating across state borders.
Also Read: Infant Stolen From Mathura Junction Found; Police Notice Child Racket Connection https://www.vibesofindia.com/infant-stolen-from-mathura-junction-found-police-notice-child-racket-connection/
