Kushinagar, September 7: 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 the 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. Mumbai Shocker: Baby Sold to Gay Man for Rs 4.65 Lakh; Police Arrest Six Including Parents, Rescue Infant.

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. Child Selling Racket Busted: CBI Busts Network of Traffickers Involved in Buying and Selling of Infants; Three Babies Rescued, Seven Accused Arrested (Watch Video).

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.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)