Visakhapatnam: Child trafficking racket busted, 6 held

Visakhapatnam: The city police busted a child trafficking racket here on Sunday and took six persons into custody. The police busted the racket in which managing director of Universal Srusti Hospital P Namrata was the prime accused.

Speaking to the media here on Sunday, Commissioner of Police R K Meena said two ASHA workers cooperated with the racketeers. Of the eight accused, the police took six persons into custody on Sunday, he said. A Ramakrishna, who worked as an agent, ASHA workers K Venkatalakshmi and B Annapurna, doctor Tirumala working at Srusti Hospital, L Chandra Mohan working in the hospital and Namrata were arrested in this connection. Two more persons, involved in the racket, are yet to be traced.

Namrata was the main conspirator behind the child trafficking, the CP said. She used to conduct free medical camps in rural areas of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam and Odisha. Identifying destitute women who wanted to terminate their pregnancies, Namrata offered a free-of-cost procedure with the assistance of ASHA workers. Later, she also offered money if they voluntarily donate their newborns and later sell them to rich families through agents.

Based on a complaint lodged by a victim at V Madugula, the police investigated and busted the racket by deploying special teams. The two other persons from West Bengal involved in the racket are yet to be traced.

The CP lauded the good work of Inspector of Police MR Peta G Soma Sekhar, Inspector of Police (Crime), Gajuwaka P Suryanarayana, Inspector of Police, Harbour, M Avataram and M R Peta SI P Ramesh.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Aishwarya Rastogi, among others attended the conference.