Patna: A two-and-a-half-year-old child abducted from Patna Junction has been rescued from Sitamarhi after he was allegedly sold for Rs 2.7 lakh. The railway police, following a technical investigation, arrested two men, the buyer and the middleman in connection with the trafficking case.
The child, Sonu, was reportedly kidnapped on June 28 while waiting at platform number 10 of Patna Junction with his mother, Radha Devi. According to police, an unidentified man befriended the toddler by offering snacks while Radha attempted to borrow a phone to contact her husband. The abductor seized the opportunity to flee with the child.
The investigation, led by a special team formed by the Railway Police, utilised CCTV footage and technical surveillance to trace the movement of the suspect. Acting on the leads, police raided a residence in Puraina Dham, Sitamarhi, with local support and recovered the child on Wednesday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Brijnandan Rai, also known as Tinku, a resident of Sitamarhi’s Puraina area, and Dinanath Sah, who is alleged to have bought the child. Police say Tinku received a commission for facilitating the sale.
Disturbingly, after purchasing the child, Dinanath is said to have performed a mundan sanskar (head-shaving ceremony), indicating an intent to assimilate the child into his household. Following Dinanath’s interrogation, Tinku was arrested, and the identity of the original kidnapper was reportedly revealed. Authorities claim that the prime suspect has a history of involvement in child trafficking cases and had previously served jail time.
Railway Superintendent of Police A.S. Thakur confirmed that further raids are underway to apprehend the main accused. “We are committed to bringing every person involved in this heinous crime to justice,” he said.
Radha Devi, the child’s mother, is a resident of Sitamarhi and had travelled to Patna with her son. She expressed relief after being reunited with him, though the trauma of the incident lingers.
