The West Bengal Police arrested a couple from Panihati in North 24 Parganas district on Sunday for allegedly selling their six-month-old child for money to purchase alcohol.
The police are investigating the possibility of a child trafficking racket being involved in the matter. The child has not yet been rescued.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Jaideb Chowdhury (father), Sathi Chowdhury (mother), and Kanai Chowdhury (grandfather).
They are currently being questioned to ascertain the identity of the person to whom they sold their child. Local residents informed the police about the incident when they noticed the child had been missing for some time.
When questioned by neighbours, the couple falsely claimed that the child was with a relative. Suspicious of foul play, the neighbours alerted the local councilor, who promptly informed the police.
“Our primary goal is to gather information from them to advance our investigation and ensure the safety of the child,” said an investigating official.
According to locals, the couple was frequently intoxicated, leading to severe quarrels within the family and with neighbours.
However, no one could have foreseen that their addiction to alcohol would drive them to take such a heart-wrenching step of selling their own child.