Hardpressed for money, mother sells baby

Patna, Feb 21:A poverty-stricken woman in this

capital has claimed that she sold her two-month-old daughter for Rs.5,000 to a neighbour to raise money for her ailing husband's medical treatment.

"I was compelled by poverty to sell my daughter Nazia to a woman who lives near my house to raise money for my husband's stomach surgery. It was a hard step but there was no other option for me," Shama Parveen, mother of three other minor so ns, told IANS Thursday.

Shama is a resident of Murgian Tola in the city's Isopur area.

She said that no one came forward to financially help her for the operation of her husband Mohd Sarfaraz alias Munna.

"I approached rich and well off in my locality but no one helped me. After that I decided to sell my daughter to save my husband," Shama said.

Shama said that she married Sarfaraz about 12 years ago.

"My husband used to earn his livelihood by working as painter but he is not keeping well for the last two years. Last month, a doctor told us that he would need a surgery that would cost more than Rs.5,000."

Police officials said they have no information about the case.

Earlier, a poor woman in Bihar's Samastipur district sold off her one-and-a-half-year-old malnourished son for Rs.19,000 to pay off a debt.

A similar case was reported last year when a poor woman sold off her four-month-old son for a measly sum of Rs.62 in Araria district to a couple from Nepal. That infant has still not been traced.

IANS