Newborn sold for Rs 4.5 lakh in Bihar; police arrest parents, ASHA worker

A dispute over Rs 3 lakh allegedly withheld from the parents exposed the sale of a newborn in Bihar, leading police to rescue the child and arrest those involved.Police said the baby was allegedly sold for Rs 4.5 lakh, but intermediaries paid the parents only Rs 1.5 lakh and kept the rest. The dispute over the money brought the transaction to the attention of police in East Champaran district.The child’s parents, the alleged buyer and an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker accused of brokering the deal were arrested in Motihari. Police also recovered Rs 1.5 lakh in cash.The parents had reportedly planned to sell the baby after birth because of poverty or other personal circumstances. Police are investigating the exact motive. The ASHA worker allegedly connected the parents with a family seeking to buy a child, negotiated the price and facilitated the transfer.Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided several locations and recovered the newborn safely from the alleged buyer. The child was handed over to the child protection unit for care. An FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and laws dealing with human trafficking.Investigators are examining whether others were involved and whether the ASHA worker had facilitated similar transactions in the past.- Ends(With inputs from Sachin Pandey)Published By: Aprameya RaoPublished On: Aug 25, 2026 16:29 IST