HYDERABAD: Police arrested two women and as many men on Friday on charges of kidnapping and selling a newborn in Tando Allahyar, 41km from here. The suspects were produced in the court concerned on Saturday which remanded them in police custody for four days.

Police moved into action after Ms Kazbano Qambrani lodged an FIR with A-Section police station on July 19, stating that she had given birth to a baby boy on July 17 at a private health facility and her husband Abdul Ghafoor sold the baby to one Sobia Baloch and her husband Allah Ditta Baloch through a midwife, Khadija on July 18.

Police recovered the baby late on Friday night after raids in Madinah Colony and Sheedi Mohallah and arrested Abdul Ghafoor, Allah Ditta, Sobia and Khadija. The baby was handed over to Ms Qambrani, said police.

Tando Allahyar SSP Shahjehan Baloch told journalists that Ms Qambrani had stated in the FIR that her husband had sold the baby for Rs15,000. The case was lodged under Sections 363, 371, 506/2 of PPC, he said. He said that the baby’s father was a drug addict.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2017