UP: Couple sells their 5-month-old baby for Rs 1.5 lakh to pay debt; FIR filed

A couple in Kanpur sold their five-month-old baby to pay their debts and later filed a "missing" FIR in a bid to evade queries about the child's sudden disappearance, police said on Tuesday.

Khalid and his wife Saeeda, who live in shanties of Babu Purva colony, had complained to Kanpur SSP Shalabh Mathur that their baby, youngest of their five children, was abducted while he was playing outside their house on July 20, they said.

During investigation, it was revealed that they had sold the toddler to a businessman, named Haroon, in Jalaun district for Rs 1.5 lakh to pay their debts, police inspector AK Singh said.

Following which police have arrested the couple and Haroon, he said, adding that Rs 60,000 were also seized from Khalid's house.

Saeeda told police that they were in urgent need of money to pay their debts due to which they took such a step. A case has been registered against the three and further investigation is underway, police said.