Ahmedabad Crime Branch busts inter-State child trafficking racket; newborn rescued; three arrested

“The Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) of Ahmedabad City Police, in a joint operation with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), has busted an inter-State child trafficking racket, rescued a newborn baby and arrested three persons involved in the illegal trade,” officials said on Thursday (January 29, 2026).

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“The operation was carried out on January 28, 2026 following specific intelligence inputs received by the Gujarat ATS and shared with the DCB Crime Branch,” officials said. Acting on the tip-off, a police team led by Police Sub-Inspector J.C. Desai laid a trap near the Kotarpur Pumping Station, close to the airport boundary wall.

During the operation, the police intercepted a white Maruti Ertiga travelling from Himmatnagar towards the Ahmedabad airport. “Upon checking the vehicle, a newborn baby was found in the possession of the occupants, leading to their detention,” officials said.

“The arrested accused have been identified as Vandanaben Jigarabhai Panchal (34), a resident of Odhav, Ahmedabad, originally from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh; Roshan alias Sajjan Mahavirprasad Agrawal (42), a resident of Hyderabad, Telangana, originally from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan; and Sumit Bachchanbhai Yadav (27), a resident of Vatva, Ahmedabad, originally from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh,” officials said. The driver of the vehicle, Maulik Umiyashankar Dave (32), is under investigation.

“During interrogation, the accused confessed to purchasing the newborn from a person identified as Munnu near Himmatnagar for ₹3.6 lakh and were on their way to Hyderabad to sell the infant to an agent named Nagraj,” officials said.

“Police seized ₹10,050 in cash, four mobile phones valued at approximately ₹55,000, and the Maruti Ertiga vehicle used in the crime,” officials said.

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“A case has been registered against the accused as well as the alleged seller and buyer under Sections 143(4), 137(2) and 61(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 81 and 87 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015,” officials said.

“The rescued newborn has been handed over to the Child Health Officer for immediate medical care and observation. Further investigation is under way to trace the wider trafficking network and apprehend the absconding middlemen,” officials added.