Bihar: Woman who sold her child for Rs 62 goes missing

Moved by the plight of a woman who was forced to sell off her four-month-old child for Rs 62 in Bihar's Araria District, several organisations from India and abroad have come forward to help her, said the police on Tuesday.

Shannu Khatun, 35, is a beggar who has to earn a living for her family including her physically challenged husband, eight-year-old daughter and twin sons. She sold one of her sons for Rs 62 to a Nepalese couple at Forbesganj Railway Station, near the Indo-Nepal border, last week.

But since the news surfaced, Khatun has disappeared from the railway station and the police have been trying to trace her whereabouts.

"Some international organisations from Australia, Canada and Africa and several Indian organisations have come forward to help her and adopt her children," Araria Superintendent of police Shivdeep W Lande said

Lande told rediff.com over the phone, "They have repeatedly called me to seek police help in this regard. Some of them told me to visit Araria in this regard".

According to Lande, these organisations contacted him after getting to know the shocking news from TV channels and newspapers.

Lande said that he had directed the local police and approached the Railway Protection Force to search for Khatun.

"She may be hiding fearing police action. But the police is keen to help her to recover her child," Lande told rediff.com.

According to district police officials, a police team visited her native village but she was not found there. Police officials suspect that Khatun was forced to leave the railway station by the RPF and railway authorities.

Khatun had earlier denied the allegation and claims that she had given her son away for "his own sake". She told RPF officer S Ahsan Ali said that she did not receive any money for giving away her son.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday told news personnel that the issue was a matter of concern for the government and it will take action in the case.