Police have arrested six persons, including five women, here for allegedly operating a child-trafficking gang, and rescued a four-year-old girl from them, an official said on Sunday.
The Social Security Branch (SSB) of Nagpur police took the action on Saturday, he said.
The six accused were identified as Surendra Yadavrao Patale, his wife Pooja, Sharmila Vijay Khakse, Shaila Manoj Manchalwar, Laxmi Amar Rane and Manorama Anand Dhawale, police said.
"Based on a tip-off that the accused operated a child trafficking gang, the police decided to take action against them. They contacted Sharmila last week, pretending that they were a rich couple who wanted to buy a child. Sharmila assured the couple that she would arrange a newborn baby for them and fixed the deal at Rs 2.5 lakh," the official said.
"However, Sharmila later offered a four-year-old girl to the couple at the same amount," he added.
The decoy couple arrived at the Medical Square on Saturday evening, where Sharmila and Surendra brought the girl.
"They accepted Rs 2.5 lakh from the couple and handed over the girl to them. Soon after, a police team arrived at the spot and arrested the accused duo," the official said, adding that other four accused were held within an hour.
A local court remanded all the accused in seven days of police custody.
All of them have been booked under IPC section 363 (kidnapping), 370 (trafficking of person) and others at Imambada police station.
"The rescued minor girl is from Siroha village in Madhya Pradesh. But the accused are yet to reveal whether the girl was abducted by them or purchased from her parents," the official said.
