Hyderabad: In a swift operation that exposed a chilling underground network, police in Hyderabad have arrested 11 people accused of running an interstate infant trafficking racket on December 25. The arrests include an IVF agent believed to be a central link between vulnerable families and buyers seeking newborns outside the legal adoption system.
The crackdown, led by the Miyapur police, follows credible inputs about babies being sourced, transported across state lines, and offered for sale. Officers intervened just in time, rescuing two infants who were both around ten days old. One baby had been brought from Ahmedabad while the other was traced to Telangana itself.
Police identified 49 year old Vemula Babu Reddy, an IVF agent, as the main accused. Investigators say he used his access to childless couples and fertility networks to connect buyers with a wider trafficking chain. Several others arrested were repeat offenders, some previously booked in similar baby selling and surrogacy related cases.
Officials described the network as well organized, with each member assigned a clear role ranging from identifying vulnerable families to arranging transport and negotiating payments.
During the raid, police rescued two male infants, both around ten days old. One baby had been brought from Ahmedabad, while the other was traced to Siddipet district in Telangana. The infants were immediately shifted to Sishu Vihar, a government run childcare facility, where doctors confirmed they were stable and receiving proper care.
Child welfare officials have begun the process of tracing the biological parents and ensuring that the children remain protected under the Juvenile Justice framework.
According to police, the gang targeted families facing severe financial distress. Poor parents were allegedly offered between three lakh and four lakh rupees to part with their newborns. The infants were then transported through middlemen and prepared for resale to affluent childless couples at much higher prices.
To make the transactions appear legitimate, the accused used forged documents and false medical narratives. The IVF angle was used to build trust and reduce suspicion among buyers, many of whom were desperate for children and unaware of the criminal nature of the deals.
One of the accused, Harsha Roy, was reportedly out on bail in a previous baby selling case when he was arrested again, raising concerns about repeat offences and enforcement gaps.
All 11 accused have been booked under sections related to child trafficking, organized crime, and violations of the Juvenile Justice Act. Police are now examining financial records, phone data, and interstate links to determine how many infants may have been sold earlier through the same network.
Investigators are also probing whether any clinics, agents, or medical professionals knowingly assisted the racket. Authorities have said strict action will be taken if institutional involvement is established.
(Rh/ARC)