TCPCR refutes one-day-old girl child sold due to poverty, sheltered in home

Driven by extreme poverty, a family from Simna Katachhara village under West Tripura district sold their one-day-old newborn daughter and the news went viral, the police and Child Line on Monday sprang into action and rescued the infant.

On April 30, the fourth child of Prasenjit Das and Lakshmi Rani Sarkar was born at the Katlamara Primary Health Center in Simna. Shockingly, the baby girl was sold on the very same day to a family in Khowai.

The mother of the newborn claimed that they already had three children and could not afford to raise a fourth. She also added that the family they gave the child to would be able to take good care of her. She admitted that they had been in contact with that family even before the child was born. The grandmother of the baby also confessed that the child was indeed sold.

Once the incident came to light, both the police administration and Child Line sprang into action. On Sunday, after learning of the situation, the authorities from Khowai police station coordinated with the Siddhai police station and the Sundar Tilla police outpost, along with Child Line. The child was rescued and placed in a government shelter home on Monday.

Chairperson of the Tripura Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TCPCR), Jayanti Debbarma refuted media reports claiming that a newborn was sold by her parents due to poverty in Katachara village under Simna Gram Panchayat of West Tripura district.

Debbarma clarified that although the parents did hand over the child to another family, it was not a case of sale. The newborn was promptly rescued last night from Rath Tilla area in neighboring Khowai district by the police, thanks to swift coordination between child protection authorities and law enforcement.

“The child is currently healthy and is being cared for at ‘Amader Ghar,’ a specialized adoption agency. I visited the facility personally to ensure her well-being,” Debbarma told reporters.

As per preliminary information, the biological parents—Prasanjit Das and Laxmi Rani Das—reportedly allowed the Khowai-based couple, Aparna Debbarma and Sachindra Debbarma, to take the baby due to their inability to bear the financial burden of raising another child.

However, the transfer of the newborn appears to have been done in violation of legal adoption procedures. “This will be thoroughly investigated by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of West Tripura district,” said the TCPCR chairperson.

“If the biological parents are unwilling to keep the baby, then the CWC will decide the future course of action, including legal adoption if necessary,” she added.

Debbarma praised the prompt and coordinated response of the OC of Simna police station, Child Welfare Committee, District Child Protection Officers (DCPOs) of both West Tripura and Khowai districts, and the Childline team in ensuring the child’s safe recovery.