More than half of Fiji’s rural population lives in poverty
This contributes to 62.2 per cent of the country's total poor population of around 900,000 people.
Six persons including a ‘Siddha’ doctor were arrested for allegedly selling a newborn baby girl for Rs 1.80 lakh to a ‘childless couple’ near Meensuruti in the district, police said.
A young couple decided to sell their third child due to poverty and approached their relative for giving away the child for adoption, police said.
The relative, in turn, approached a ‘Siddha’ doctor who identified a “childless couple” in Coimbatore district and struck a deal to sell the infant for Rs 1.80 lakh.
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The matter came to light after the Village Health staff at Meensuruti Primary health centre found that the couple had not turned up for immunisation, went to their house and asked them to bring the baby for vaccination.
When the couple gave contradictory replies, the staff reported the matter to the authorities concerned, who in turn alerted the District Child Protection Officer and the Collector.
As per directions, an enquiry was conducted and it was found that the child had been sold due to poverty.
On a complaint, police arrested the couple and others and remanded them to judicial custody today.
The couple’s relative was absconding, police said PTI
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