Uttar Pradesh man forced to 'sell' son for hospital fee, 5 arrested
Kushinagar (UP) (PTI): A man was allegedly compelled to "sell" his three-year-old son to secure his wife and newborn child's "release" from a private hospital after he was unable to pay its fee, officials said.
The incident sparked outrage and prompted swift action from authorities after they were informed, with police arresting five people on Saturday including a couple who took the child.
Harish Patel, a resident of Barwa Patti, had sought medical care at the hospital for his wife's delivery, police said. According to locals, it was the sixth child of Patel, who is a daily wager.
However, when he was unable to immediately pay the hospital fee, the mother and the newborn were not allowed to leave by the hospital staff. In his desperation, the father agreed to sell his three-year-old son under a fraudulent adoption deed for a few thousand rupees on Friday, the police said.
Upon learning of the incident, police launched an investigation and arrested five individuals involved in the crime including the alleged middleman Amresh Yadav, the "adoptive parents" Bhola Yadav and his wife Kalawati, a fake doctor Tara Kushwaha, and a helper at the hospital Suganti, Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar Mishra said.
A police constable, who allegedly failed to take action in the case, has also been taken off active duty and sent to police lines by the SP.
"The child was safely rescued and returned to his parents," the officer added.
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UP: BJP MLA falls on rail track while flagging off Vande Bharat train
Etawah (UP), Sep 16: BJP's Etawah MLA Sarita Bhadauriya fell onto the railway tracks while vying to wave the green flag for the Agra-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express here on Monday.
Purported videos of the incident surfaced on social media.
The incident occurred amidst a crowded platform as the train arrived around 6 pm. The 61-year-old second-term BJP lawmaker was among a host of people holding the green flag as they stood at the platform, the video showed.
Following the virtual inauguration of the Vande Bharat train by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the train, numbered 20175, was flagged off by the Rail Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu from Agra.
When contacted by PTI, BJP's Etawah unit treasurer Sanjeev Bhadauriya said, "The MLA was helped off the track and she then waited for some time at the platform for the flag-off event."
"Later she consulted doctors and is resting at her home now. She did not suffer any visible physical injuries. If there is any internal injury, it is yet to be confirmed," Bhadauriya said.
The train made stops at Tundla before arriving at Etawah station. Upon its arrival, a commotion ensued on the platform as various political figures, including Samajwadi Party MP Jitendra Douwhare, former BJP MP Ram Shankar, and current MLA Sarita Bhadauriya, gathered to participate in the flag-off, the videos showed.
As the train's horn signalled its departure, the platform became chaotic with supporters jostling for position. In the ensuing melee, the MLA was pushed off the platform and she fell onto the railway tracks in front of the train, it showed.
The train was stopped in time by bystanders, preventing a major accident. Bhadauriya was quickly rescued from the tracks by the police and taken to the hospital, according to eyewitnesses.
Talking about the operation date for the Vande Bharat Express, PRO Prashasti Srivastava from the Agra division of the railways said that the date will be announced soon.
The train will cover the distance between Agra and Varanasi in approximately seven hours. The return train will operate as number 20176 from Varanasi to Agra, while the Agra-Varanasi service will be number 20175.
Etawah, UP: The flag-off ceremony for the Agra-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express faced chaos due to heavy rush, and BJP's Etawah Sadar MLA, Sarita Bhadoria, fell in front of the train pic.twitter.com/p10CfbDIF0
— IANS (@ians_india) September 16, 2024
