Child sale case in Shirva: Durga Vahini leader among three arrested
Udupi: In a shocking case, Shirva police have arrested three people, including a Durga Vahini leader, for selling a newborn baby that was delivered by a rape survivor.
According to police, the arrested persons are Dr. Somesh Solomon, a doctor from B.C. Road; Vijayalakshmi alias Vijaya, a Durga Vahini leader who also runs a paying guest facility in Mangaluru; and Navaneet Narayan (25), accused of sexually assaulting the young woman who later became pregnant.
Prabhavati and Ramesh Moulya, a couple from Kallugudde in Shirva who were unable to have children, had expressed their desire to adopt. Their relative Priyanka introduced them to Vijayalakshmi, who then offered to give them the baby of an unmarried woman working at her PG accommodation.
Police investigations revealed that Vijayalakshmi and Dr. Somesh conspired to sell the child after delivery. During medical check-ups, they allegedly used Prabhavati’s Aadhaar card instead of the pregnant woman’s, in order to later claim the baby as Prabhavati’s own.
On August 3, the woman delivered a baby girl via caesarean section at Colaso Hospital in Mangaluru. The infant was then handed over to Prabhavati and her husband in exchange for ₹4.5 lakh, Udupi SP Hariram Shankar confirmed.
Further investigation uncovered that the young woman had been sexually assaulted by Navaneet Narayan, leading to her pregnancy. The survivor, who reportedly has mental health issues, was kept along with her mother at Vijayalakshmi’s PG facility.
Police said the woman did not receive proper postnatal care after her caesarean delivery, and they had to intervene to ensure she was admitted again for treatment.
SP Shankar also revealed that Vijayalakshmi has links with several organisations and runs a hospital canteen in Mangaluru. There are also suspicions that she has been selling other children born under “unwanted or illegitimate circumstances.”
The case came to light when Prabhavati and her husband tried to register the baby at an Anganwadi center through the Poshan Tracker. Staff grew suspicious since the couple had no biological children. A complaint was lodged with the Child Protection Committee, which led police to investigate.
The three accused were produced before court and remanded to judicial custody. Meanwhile, Prabhavati, her husband, and their relative Priyanka have also been questioned but not taken into custody.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada of Karkala is leading the investigation.
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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
