Gujarat Police Bust Interstate Child Trafficking Racket, Kingpin held in Telangana

A major interstate child trafficking racket has been busted by police in Gujarat following the rescue of a four-year-old boy, with the alleged kingpin arrested from Telangana, officials said on Monday.

The breakthrough came during the investigation into the abduction of a child from Vadgam in Banaskantha district earlier this month. After rescuing the boy, police arrested two suspects, whose interrogation revealed a larger organised network involved in trafficking newborns across multiple states.

The gang, identified as the “Murugan Gang,” allegedly operated across Maharashtra, Delhi, Telangana and Gujarat, procuring newborn babies and selling them at high prices. Using technical surveillance, investigators tracked down the main accused, Bodashu Nagraju alias Murugan, and arrested him along with two associates, Kasrapu Tirupathi and Keleti Gangarajan, all residents of Telangana.

According to police, the accused initially worked in arranging women for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures, connecting childless couples with surrogate mothers for a commission. However, he later shifted to illegal trafficking, lured by higher profits. The gang allegedly sourced newborn babies within 24 to 48 hours of birth and sold them through a network of agents.

Investigations have so far established the trafficking of at least five children, though officials suspect the number could be higher. During questioning, it emerged that children were sourced from different states, indicating a well-coordinated interstate operation.

So far, only one child, the abducted four-year-old, has been rescued , while efforts are ongoing to trace and recover other trafficked children.

All three accused are currently in police custody and were interrogated in Palanpur. Authorities said further investigation is underway to identify additional members of the network and ensure the safe recovery of the remaining victims.