Babies trafficked from Gujarat used to fulfil ‘100% childbirth guarantee’

Ahmedabad: The investigation of an alleged child-trafficking racket linked to IVF centres in Hyderabad has widened, with Gujarat police officers now placing several centres in Pune under the scanner. Gujarat crime branch officers said that the network sourced children largely from tribal pockets of Gujarat and Rajasthan to fulfil what was marketed as a "100% guarantee" of childbirth for childless couples.The probe began after police officers uncovered evidence that children were allegedly selected and sold based on skin colour, gender, and age. Officers said that the clients of certain IVF centres in Pune and Hyderabad preferred newborns whose physical features closely resembled their own. To meet these demands, agents allegedly identified and procured children from vulnerable families in rural belts.
A nurse who worked at multiple IVF centres and gynaecology hospitals in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad has emerged as a key suspect. Crime branch sources said she acted as a crucial link between hospitals in Hyderabad, Pune, and Ahmedabad. After leaving her job, she allegedly began directly approaching childless couples, persuading them to purchase newborns. Police officers said she used her professional background and knowledge of IVF procedures to gain the trust of prospective parents. Through a network of intermediaries, she allegedly coordinated the identification and supply of children matching specific requirements. "These IVF centres guarantee a child. In cases where the couple is unable to conceive, the traffickers offer, within the same package or at a higher cost, to provide a newborn," a senior crime branch officer said. "Many of the clients are from Hyderabad and prefer children who look like them. For this, the gang targeted tribal belts of north Gujarat and west Rajasthan." According to officers, agents operated in remote rural areas, taking advantage of poverty and changing social norms. Families were allegedly offered between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh, depending on the child's complexion, gender, and age. A fair-complexioned newborn boy fetched the highest price, while girls and children with darker complexions were sold for lower amounts, police officers said. At least 20 tribal children are suspected to have been trafficked and sold to buyers in Hyderabad over the past two years. Police officers confirmed that the children were sourced from tribal pockets of north Gujarat, including Poshina, Kheroj and Idar in Sabarkantha district, and Danta and Deesa in Banaskantha district. Officers said belonged to poor families who had limited access to healthcare and low levels of education. Senior officers said traffickers also exploited shifting social norms within tribal communities. "Till a couple of decades ago, unwed women bearing children were not unusual among tribals," a senior officer said. "But now, there is a change in belief systems. Children born out of wedlock carry a stigma. Traffickers used this vulnerability and projected the sale of a child as an opportunity." The racket came to light on Jan 29, when four accused travelling from Himmatnagar were intercepted near Ahmedabad airport while allegedly transporting a 15-day-old infant to Hyderabad for resale.