Ulhasnagar: Woman arrested for kidnapping child from poor couple

Krishna Tai, the accused arrested from Telangana. Pic/Navneet Barhate

The Ulhasnagar police have arrested a woman for kidnapping a five-month-old boy of a poor couple on the pretext of giving him better medical treatment. The infant was supposed to be in the custody of a woman identified as Krishna Tai in Telangana for over a month and when the mother asked her to return the baby; she disappeared following which an FIR was registered.

According to the police, Meena Sonawne, mother of the five-month-old, Kartik, resides in the slum pockets of Mharal village of Kalyan and hails from Buldhana. Sonawne would also beg on the streets to supplement the income of her daily wage earning husband as they had five children to take care of. Besides, Kartik, their latest child would frequently fall sick.

"After Kartik was discharged from Central Hospital, Ulhasnagar, the parents requested assistance for the treatment of their child on WhatsApp. Within a few days, the mother received a call from a woman who identified herself as Swati Behra from Tata House in Borivli. Behra suggested a doctor in Hyderabad for Kartik's treatment. Behra then visited the family in Ulhasnagar and gathered all the details from the couple and assured them that they will help in the treatment process," said a police officer from Ulhasnagar police station.

The police said on the pretext of giving free treatment Behra took the couple and Kartik to Nampally station in Hyderabad. "Behra then took them to Krishna Tai, a resident of an area near Kag Road in Telangana. The couple was informed that Krishna Tai had already paid Rs 2 lakh to the doctor for Kartik's treatment. The couple was put up in a lodge at Hyderabad. Behra visited the couple with another woman to inform them that they had to take Kartik to a doctor in another city," said a police officer.

The next day, Behra pacified the couple who was anxious to see their child by telling them the treatment would take a month. The couple returned to Kalyan as their four children were in the care of their parents, said a police officer. "During this period Sonawne was in regular contact with Behra, but whenever Sonawne asked for her child, the woman would make an excuse that he is still under treatment. On one occasion, an argument ensued between Sonawne and Behra and the latter demanded the R2 lakh paid for the treatment of the child. Getting suspicious, the couple decided to approach the police," said the police officer.

The Ulhasnagar police had registered a case of kidnapping a few days ago and started the investigation. "We have arrested Krishna from Hyderabad and brought her here. She was produced in court and remanded in police custody till May 10," said Vishnu Tamhane, senior police inspector, Ulhasnagar police station. "Krishna claims that the child was sent to Bihar. She is not ready to share more details. Whether the kid has been sold or engaged in some other illegal activity is not yet clear. Our team is already in search of the boy and the other accused. We hope to bust the interstate syndicate," said a police officer.