Image showing handcuffs. For representational purposes.
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Hyderabad: Cyberabad police arrested 11 members of an interstate human trafficking gang and rescued two newborn babies one from Gujarat and another from Siddipet on Wednesday.
Miyapur police, along with the SOT Shamshabad team, acted on credible information about the gang's operations in Hyderabad.
They apprehended the prime accused within Miyapur limits and their associates across the city. The organised group procured infants from impoverished families nationwide and sold them to childless couples for hefty sums, exploiting economic vulnerabilities.
“In furtherance of their criminal conspiracy, they identify poor families unable to meet their newborns’ basic needs and induce them to sell the babies for attractive amounts.
"The accused then sell these infants to affluent families through an organised chain,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Madhapur Zone) Ritiraj told reporters on Wednesday.
Key accused V Babu Reddy, an IVF agent from Dammaiguda, Kapra, was arrested in the past by Alwal police in Cyberabad and Devarakonda police in Suryapet district.
Associate V Gangadhar Reddy, from Mettuguda and originally from East Godavari, faces 18 cases across Cyberabad, Rachakonda, and Hyderabad jurisdictions. Gangadhar's network sourced one infant from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, via middlemen, while Babu Reddy arranged another from Ramanpet, Siddipet, both intended for sale in Hyderabad.
Police nabbed the gang during a transaction. The rescued infants were handed over to Sishu Vihar, Ameerpet, for safe custody