Indian couple are forced to ‘sell’ their newborn to hospital because they could not afford medical bills
- Shiv Charan and his wife Babita could not afford to pay for a caesarian section
- They say the hospital ‘bought’ the child from them for 100,000 rupees (£1,000)
- The hospital’s manager claims the child was legitimately ‘given up’ for adoption
An Indian couple were forced to ‘sell’ their newborn baby to a hospital because they could not afford their medical bills, it is claimed.
Shiv Charan and his wife Babita were left with a bill of 35,000 rupees (£350) after their baby son was delivered by caesarian section at the hospital in Agra.
The rickshaw driver and his wife did not have the money – so the hospital ‘bought’ the child for 100,000 rupees (£1,000) to settle the bill, the parents told the Times of India.
Hospital manager Seema Gupta says the child was ‘given up’ for adoption rather than ‘sold’, claiming that the parents signed paperwork agreeing to the move.
Shiv Charan and his wife Babita (pictured) were left with an unaffordable bill of 35,000 rupees (£350) after their baby son was born at a hospital in India
The couple already have five children and Mr Charan makes no more than 100 rupees per day driving rickshaws.
In addition, the shoe factory where their eldest son used to work has been closed because of the coronavirus crisis.
When the hospital demanded the money, the family could not afford to pay and the baby was taken away – but Babita, 36, wants her newborn son back.
Although the hospital claims that paperwork was completed, Mr Charan says the couple cannot read or write and that any documents were signed with thumb prints.
District magistrate Prahbu N Singh said the alleged ‘sale’ would be investigated and ‘suitable action’ taken.
Some babies who are taken into the hospital’s care will later be ‘sold’ to couples looking to adopt a child, it is believed.
A child rights activist told the Times of India that the alleged ‘sale’ had not met the legal requirements for adoption.
India’s government has previously warned of a ‘baby trafficking’ trade which reduces the number of children available for legitimate adoption.
The newborn baby (stock photo) was allegedly ‘sold’ to a hospital because its mother and father could not afford to pay for the caesarian section
Families have faced long waits to adopt a child, with willing parents outnumbering available children by as much as seven to one.
Separately, India’s Rajasthan this month launched a new drive to stop older children being trafficked across its borders for child labour.
The state is known for its handicraft industry and authorities are concerned about a rise in child labour as coronavirus restrictions are eased.
It is illegal to employ anyone under 15 in India, but children are permitted to support family businesses outside of school hours.
Campaigners say this provision is widely exploited by employers and human traffickers.
Police and transport officials have been told to verify the movement of every child to prevent the trafficking of child workers from poorer states.