- A couple allegedly sold their eight-month-old son in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district to buy an iPhone for making reels.
- The incident came to light after locals got suspicious of the couple as they could not see the baby for weeks.
- police said they have arrested the mother and are looking for the father who is on the run
- The mother has admitted that they spent the money that was earned by selling the baby to travel to places like Digha and Mandarmoni.
Owning an iPhone can be a matter of much importance for many but what lengths would you go to get what you want? In a shocking incident, a couple from West Bengal sold their eight-month-old baby to buy an iPhone 14. What is even more appalling is that they bought the iPhone to shoot reels of their travel across the state.
A couple allegedly sold their eight-month-old son in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district to buy an iPhone for making reels, police said. The incident happened in Panihati’s Ganganagar area near Kolkata, and police said they have already arrested the mother and are looking for the father who is on the run.
The matter came out in the open when the baby had been missing for days and the parents showed no sign of worry, which piqued the neighbours’ suspicion. The Ghosh family’s possession of an iPhone 14 also added to the neighbours’ suspicion as the family was living off a meagre income and was battling financial difficulties in the past.
“We have arrested the mother and started looking for the father who has been absconding after the incident was reported to us. The couple sold the infant to someone, and purchased an iPhone 14 to make reels (short video clips for social media),” police told a News agency. “The mother has also admitted that they spent the money that was earned by selling the baby to travel to places like Digha and Mandarmoni,” he added
The incident happened a month ago, but was reported to the police on July 24, the officer said. “We have started an investigation and are looking for the father,” he said. The mother is being interrogated, police said, adding that they are also searching for the couple who bought the baby. “We will also book them as this is illegal,” the officer said.
India has a wide range of laws to protect children and child protection is increasingly accepted as a core component of social development. The challenge is in implementing the laws due to inadequate human resource capacity on the ground and quality prevention and rehabilitation services. As a result, millions of children are prone to violence, abuse and exploitation.
India has a fairly comprehensive policy and legal framework addressing rights and protection for children, providing opportunities to ensure that all children have equal access to quality protection services. The core child protection legislation for children is enshrined in four main laws: The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act (2000, amended in 2015); The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2006); The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (2012), and The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act (1986, amended in 2016).
(With inputs from agencies)
