A three-year-old boy abducted from a Tilak ceremony in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district has been safely recovered from Telangana after a 28-day-long search, police confirmed on Wednesday. The case has brought to light a child trafficking network operating across multiple states.
The child, Hrithik, was kidnapped on February 21 from Gauriyakala village under the Atrauli police station jurisdiction. Superintendent of Police (SP) Neeraj Kumar revealed that three suspects—Abhay Verma from Sitapur, Umashankar from Lucknow, and Sonia alias Sunita from Delhi—have been arrested for their involvement in the abduction and illegal sale of children, as per a report on PTI.
Breakthrough In Investigation
“Hrithik disappeared amid the celebrations. Despite intensive searches using sniffer dogs and drones, there was no trace of him initially,” SP Kumar said. However, a major breakthrough came when investigators linked the case to two other missing children—Aryan and Kartik—from Sitapur.
During interrogation, suspect Sonia alias Sunita reportedly confessed, revealing a shocking child trafficking operation where kidnapped children were being sold in Telangana. Acting on this lead, a police team was dispatched, successfully rescuing Hrithik.
“When the police interrogated this woman, the whole secret was revealed that all the children were sold in Telangana,” SP Kumar explained, as per the report.
Children Sold For Rs 5 Lakh Each
According to the police, the traffickers were selling kidnapped children for Rs 5 lakh per child. Authorities are now intensifying efforts to locate and rescue Aryan and Kartik.
Hrithik’s safe return has brought immense relief to his distraught family, but the case has raised serious concerns over child trafficking in the region. Authorities have assured that strict action will be taken against those involved, and efforts are underway to dismantle the network behind these abductions.
The incident has sparked fresh calls for stronger measures to combat child trafficking and enhance security at public gatherings to prevent such crimes in the future.
