Agartala, May 19 – A serious allegation of child trafficking has surfaced in Tripura, involving a three-year-old girl allegedly taken from her mother under false pretenses by officials of a state-run shelter.
The mother, from Baniyachhara under Melaghar Police Station, had earlier placed two of her daughters in the Narsingarh State Foundling Home due to financial hardship.
She later attempted to admit her youngest daughter, but alleged that Child Welfare Officer Nivedita Dutta, along with her husband Arindam Deb, who is an assistant public prosecutor and an official of the Home, took the child at the West Agartala court after misleading her and attempted to offer her money.
When the mother later tried to see her child, she was denied access and allegedly threatened. Suspecting foul play, she approached authorities and was taken into protective custody by the Sepahijala district Child Welfare Committee, which launched a search operation with Childline.
The mother on last Saturday had lodged police complaint with Melaghar Police Station and appealed to Chief Minister Manik Saha to take necessary action to return her child.
The incident has triggered outrage, prompting intervention from the state administration and Social Welfare and Social Education Department.
Meantime, Social Welfare and Social Education Department Minister Tinku Roy confirmed showcause notices were issued to two individuals including to a department official and another outsourced employee.
The Minister admitted that the child’s adoption did not follow legal procedures. However, he denied the report of the child missing from the government Home but assured that a police probe would follow and strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
