NHRC seeks report on newborn’s sale in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Jan 10 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday sought a report from the Kendrapara district magistrate in Odisha on reports of a woman selling her newborn due to poverty.

Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports during its camp sitting at Bhubaneswar, the commission directed the district magistrate to submit a report within four weeks along with the list of steps taken or proposed to be taken for relief and rehabilitation of the family.

A homeless Scheduled Tribes woman, deserted by her husband, was forced to sell her newly born male child to one of her neighbours, for a sum of Rs 2,000 in Kendrapara district on Monday. The baby boy was born on Sunday evening.

Reportedly, the woman took this step due to poverty as she is deprived of benefits of the government-run schemes. She is already mother of two children, said the commission.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news reports, as brought to its notice by human rights activist Akhand, are indeed painful and indicative of violation of right to livelihood and dignity of the poor woman, who was forced to sell her child due to circumstances.