Imphal: Manipur police arrested a group of nine individuals, including the parents and agents, for allegedly selling an infant for Rs one lakh, with investigations revealing their involvement in the illegal deal, officials reported on Friday.
The six-year-old boy, a resident of Khaidem Mayai Leikai in Imphal West district, who was reportedly sold by his parents for the said amount to an individual from Uripok in the same district, was rescued with the intervention of the Child Welfare Committee, Manipur Social Welfare Office, and police.
Police said that the boy’s father, a 33-year-old man, his wife, and others involved in the case were picked up from different locations over the past 48 hours.
The case came to light when the boy’s aunt and her neighbours uploaded a post on social media about his disappearance from home for the past three days in December 2025.
However, the parents had deceived the neighbours into believing that their child had been placed in a boarding school at Langmeidong in Kakching district.
The Duty Magistrate of Imphal West has remanded the accused to police custody until January 5. They were charged under the Juvenile Justice Act and the Child Abduction Act.
Officials further stated that financial desperation, poverty, and unemployment were cited as the reasons the parents sold their child.
Of the nine individuals arrested, six have been identified as L. Herojit, L. Jina, H. Sandhyarani, S. Bijenti, Th. Bina, and P. Mandeshwari.
The identities of the remaining three have been withheld.