5 of gang selling newborns held

A five-member gang selling newborns from the Civil Hospital has been arrested by the police.

The gang included three women and two men. They had plans to sell the baby to a city-based couple for Rs 5 lakh when they got arrested. The accused include Sukhwinder S Rinki, his wife Kulwinder Kaur, residents of New Shiv Nagar of Jalandhar, Paramjit S Sonu, his wife Paramjit Kaur, residents of Prajapat Basti of Moga, and Manpreet Kaur of Kamrawa village of Kapurthala.

Two more accomplices of the accused Laddi and Babbu of Muktsar managed to flee. The accused had been produced in the court and the police have got their five-day remand. The accused have reportedly confessed before the police that they have so far stolen and sold 12 newborns for a consideration of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. One of the women in the gang worked as a midwife.