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Police in India have reportedly discovered an alleged “baby farm” where newborns were being sold and swapped.

Staff at the private Palash Hospital in Gwalior district, Madhya Pradesh, delivered babies from rapes or premarital relationships, police claimed.

Following a tip-off, two babies were rescued from the hospital by police – but it is thought others were sold on before authorities became aware of the case, The Times of India reported.

Five people, including hospital manager Arun Bhadoria, have been arrested in connection with the find and charged under slavery and prostitution charges, according to the newspaper.

Investigating officer Prateek Kumar said he believed the 30-bed hospital used “agents” who worked to find young women who had unwanted babies.

An unnamed police officer told the Times of India: “When a girl or her parents approached them for termination of pregnancies, doctors at this hospital used to convince them assuring a safe and secret delivery.

“Once baby is delivered and mother gets discharged, hospital authorities start hunting for gullible couples who could buy them.”

The police also said parents could swap their baby with a child of their preferred gender at the hospital.

“A Gwalior based couple had two boys. They swapped one of their boys with a girl at this hospital,” the officer added.

Police said they were now carrying out further investigations to establish if there were any similar operations in the region.

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  • I wonder if the “agents” actually convinced any expectant Mums to surrender their babies and are getting anything out of it.
    The only consideration for choosing the sex of your baby is if you know there is a severe genetic problem which if a baby survived would suffer and have no quality of life.

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  • Oh good lord.
    Reminds me of some of the stories from homes for unwed mothers back in the 60’s

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  • This is shocking. How can parents even consider swapping their own child and these doctors really need to be prosecuted.

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  • I can’t believe how one couple swapped one of their boys for a girl! How can you swap your own child like that, having no idea of what will happen to them?! Horrendous! I’m thinking that if these babies are going to loving homes, taken from mothers who don’t want them, then it’s a good thing right? In a way. But if they’re being sold to be abused in any way, then this place is vile and disgusting. I hope the authorities throw the book at these perpetrators!

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  • The worse part of this story for me is that parents actually swap their own child for another. Regardless of gender or anything else there is no way I would give up my child let alone swap it

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  • Such a terrible thing to put vulnerable women (the birth mothers) and desperate people (the “adopting” parents) through. So glad those in charge of this facility have been charged.

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  • Wow that is scary stuff. Hopefully justice will prevail and for the women who have fallen pregnant with a child via a rape etc. Other options become available to them to help deal with raising the child or to adopt through the proper channels.

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  • How can a parent just swap Their child with someone else’s!? That’s so sad.

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  • Absolutely appalling – not only the workers themselves but the people who buy the children. I can’t believe this is happening in this day and age.

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  • I am shocked! How a parent can change one of their babies?!
    When we hear people having the option to go through fertilisation treatment in the US to choose their baby sex, it is scary, but giving away one of your baby to have another one as it is your preferable sex?! It is insane!!!

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  • This is so sad to read. Even parents swapping their children! I hope there aren’t other hospitals like this one around India.

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  • Oh my goodness. How terrible.

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  • Children are not “things” to be traded!

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  • This is shocking, Im am amazed that a person would be willing to even think of swapping their newborn. The unwanted babies regardless of how they were conceived should be adopted out not sold it so sad.. Its heartless.

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  • who are these people that think this is an ok practice to even create the place in the beginning and the people that use them ? Shame on them all

    Reply

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