Tiruvallur cops rescue 2-month-old girl bought by trans woman

CHENNAI: The authorities rescued a two-month-old baby girl after a transgender woman brought the infant to a government hospital for treatment in Tiruvallur on Thursday. The baby has been handed over to the district Child Welfare Committee team, which in turn has shifted the baby to a shelter, while the police have registered a case.

The 35-year-old trans woman, identified as Maya, also known as Malathi, from KG Kandigai, brought the sick baby to the Tiruvallur Government Hospital. However, when the doctor asked her about the child’s family, Maya provided inconsistent answers. Growing suspicious, the hospital staff alerted the local police and also the child welfare officials.

“When questioned, Maya failed to give a satisfactory answer; she could not provide any clarity about the background of the child,” officials noted.

When the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) officials questioned Maya about how she obtained the child and asked for supporting documents, she provided inconsistent answers. Later, when the police interrogated her, she allegedly confessed to purchasing the baby from an impoverished couple in Andhra Pradesh for a sum of Rs 2.1 lakh, claiming the biological parents could not afford to raise the child.

The Police are currently working to verify the statement and determine her precise motive for buying the infant.

Meanwhile, the CWC officials examined the baby at the hospital and confirmed she was healthy and safe. The infant has since been transferred to a government-run home for her protection and care.

Authorities have registered a case and are actively investigating to locate the baby's biological parents. A key focus of the probe is to find out whether this isolated incident is connected to a larger, more organised child trafficking network.