Toddler Bought for ₹1 Lakh in India Then Dumped on Road Over ‘Bad Luck’ Belief

BHOPAL, Apr 27: A couple from Guna has been arrested for allegedly abandoning their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter on a highway in Sheopur, after reportedly believing the child brought “bad luck” to their family and business. Police said the case has now widened into a suspected child trafficking racket.

According to officials, the toddler was found alone on National Highway-552 in the Soinkalan area on April 18 after a Dial-112 emergency alert. Police rushed to the spot and alerted the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which took custody of the child following medical examination.

An FIR was registered for abandoning a minor in unsafe conditions, prompting a detailed investigation using CCTV footage, technical surveillance, and witness statements. Authorities later traced the vehicle used in the incident to Bhopal, leading to the detention of the Guna-based businessman and his wife.

During initial questioning, the couple claimed the child had been legally adopted. However, police said they later admitted under interrogation that the girl had not been legally adopted but allegedly purchased for around ₹1 lakh (326 Kuwaiti Dinars)  through an illegal network linked to an Indore-based operator associated with a beauty parlour.

Investigators said several individuals connected to the suspected trafficking ring have already been arrested, and efforts are ongoing to identify the wider network and trace the child’s biological parents.

Police officials described the case as part of a broader child trafficking investigation and said further arrests are likely as the probe continues.