Daijiworld Media Network – Kaup 

Kaup, Sept 3: In a disturbing case of alleged child trafficking, three people have been arrested in Kaup taluk after a newborn baby girl was reportedly purchased for Rs 4.5 lac and illegally handed over to a couple posing as her parents.

The incident came to light when Prabhavati and her husband Ramesh Moolya, residents of Kallugudde in the 92nd Heruru village, brought a four-day-old infant to a local Anganwadi centre to register her on the Poshan Tracker, a government-run nutrition and child welfare monitoring platform.

However, the Anganwadi worker grew suspicious, sensing inconsistencies in the couple’s account and the child’s background. Upon further questioning, the truth began to unravel.

According to preliminary investigation, the baby was born on August 3, 2025, to an unmarried woman at a private hospital in Mangaluru.

Police revealed that Prabhavati and Ramesh allegedly acquired the child through contacts at the hospital, paying Rs 4.5 lac to facilitate the transaction. It has been confirmed that Prabhavati’s cousin, Priyanka, tipped her off about the woman’s delivery, which led to the illegal handover of the child.

A case has been registered at the Shirva police station, and a swift investigation led to the arrest of three individuals involved in the alleged sale: Dr Somesh Solomon, Vijayalakshmi alias Vijaya, and Navneet Narayan.

All three were interrogated and are said to have confessed to their involvement in the case. They have been remanded to judicial custody as the investigation continues.

Police are probing further to determine whether a larger child trafficking network is operating through private medical channels. Authorities have not ruled out additional arrests.