A shocking case of child sale has surfaced in Bhadrak district’s Dhamnagar area, where a tribal couple allegedly sold their four-and-a-half-year-old daughter for Rs 15,000 due to poverty.
The incident occurred near Gumugad Chhak in the Domadi locality, triggering outrage among residents.
According to reports, the couple, identified as Bandhua Munda and his wife Kali Munda, admitted to selling their daughter Ranu to a man from Balasore. They claimed severe financial distress forced them to make the decision. The couple, daily wage labourers with three children, said they received Rs 5,000 in advance and handed over the child on Sunday morning after collecting the remaining Rs 10,000.
Locals confronted the couple after learning about the transaction and assaulted them in anger. Kali Munda told villagers that the buyer promised to return the child once she grew up. She also confessed to spending part of the money on shoes and food, while keeping the rest with a neighbour.
Bandhua Munda stated that his wife finalised the deal while he was away for work. The couple had been living in Domadi for nine months, struggling to sustain their family.
The revelation sparked tension in the area, drawing hundreds of residents to the couple’s house. Locals demanded immediate police action and a thorough investigation into suspected child trafficking.
Police and child protection officials have begun inquiries to trace the buyer and rescue the girl.
