Baby girl allegedly put up for sale in Gujarat for ₹1.5 lakh; five arrested

A suspected infant trafficking racket has been uncovered in Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district after police arrested five people for allegedly attempting to sell a one-month-old baby girl to a woman in Mumbai for ₹1.5 lakh.

Police said the case came to light during an investigation into the attempted transfer of the infant. Seven people are suspected to have been involved in the trafficking attempt, with five arrests made so far. Two others, including an alleged woman middleman linked to the proposed sale in Mumbai, remain absconding.

The arrested accused have been identified as Devilaal Gamar, Popat Gamar, Babiben Gamar, Pravin Dangi and Dinesh Dangi.

Baby allegedly being taken to Mumbai

According to the police, the accused allegedly planned to hand over the one-month-old girl to a woman in Mumbai in exchange for Rs 1.5 lakh. Investigators are now trying to establish how the infant came into the possession of the accused and whether the group had attempted similar transactions in the past.

The alleged involvement of a Mumbai-based woman has also emerged as a key part of the investigation. Police are searching for the absconding accused and are expected to question them once they are traced.

The case has raised fresh concerns over the vulnerability of infants and the networks that facilitate illegal adoption and child trafficking across state borders.

Five arrested, two absconding

The five arrested accused are currently being questioned by the police. Investigators are examining their individual roles and attempting to establish whether they were acting as intermediaries, recruiters or facilitators in the alleged transaction.

Police are also investigating the financial trail linked to the proposed Rs 1.5 lakh payment. The probe is expected to focus on who arranged the deal, who was supposed to receive the money and whether any larger network was involved.

The two absconding suspects, including the alleged woman middleman, are considered important to the investigation because of their suspected links to the proposed handover in Mumbai.

Authorities are also likely to examine the circumstances surrounding the infant's custody and identify the baby's parents or legal guardians, while ensuring the child’s safety and protection.

Probe into possible wider network

While five people have been arrested, investigators have not ruled out the possibility of other people being involved. Police are checking whether the accused had previously attempted to sell or transfer other children and whether similar cases were reported in the region.

The investigation will also seek to determine whether the alleged transaction was an isolated incident or part of a wider child trafficking network operating across Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The infant has been placed under protection as the investigation continues.

The case comes amid continued concerns over child trafficking in India, where vulnerable children can be targeted by organised networks operating through intermediaries and across state borders. Authorities are now working to trace the remaining accused and establish the full chain of events behind the alleged attempt to sell the baby.