A poor couple in Odisha was allegedly forced to sell off their newborn girl as they were unable to foot the bill of a private hospital at Kendrapara.

Nirakar Moharana and his wife Gitarani Moharana had gone to district headquarters hospital here on Monday for delivery of their third child.

They were advised by the doctors and the village ASHA worker Anapurna Moharana to go to a private hospital as there were some complicacies in the pregnancy. Gitanjali delivered a girl child in the private nursing home on Thursday.

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After the delivery, the hospital asked the couple, belonging to Righagada village under Rajnagar block of the district, to pay Rs 7,500.

Due to acute poverty, they expressed their inability to arrange the money. Instead, they agreed to sell the newborn daughter to a childless couple in exchange of Rs. 12,000.

When the couple told the villagers about the incident, they were advised to approach the police. Nirankar and Gitarani filed an FIR against the nursing home and the person who purchased the newborn girl at Kendrapara Town police station on Friday.

“After the FIR was filed, we have registered a case under Section 372 (sale of minor child for unlawful and immoral purpose) and 81, Juvenile Justice Act. Further investigation is going on,” said Kendrapara SP Dayanidhi Gochayat.

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When contacted, ASHA worker Anapurna said, “The couple has two daughters. After the birth of their third daughter, they decided to abandon the child in the nursing home. But I resisted it. Later, a childless couple took the newborn by paying some money.”