18-mth-old girl abducted, sold for 20k in Alwar; rescued in 4 hours

Alwar: An 18-month-old girl, abducted and sold for Rs 20,000 from Sotka village under Sadar police station limits in Alwar district, was rescued within four hours Thursday , police said.

Two men, Narendra Sharma (34) and Jaisingh Yadav (32), both residents of Ramgarh, who allegedly purchased the child were arrested, while the primary accused remain absconding.

According to the police, the toddler was playing outside her home while her mother was engaged in household chores Thursday. When the mother returned, the girl was missing.

"A nearby shopkeeper told us that a man named Hemant, also known as Bholi, had taken our daughter after offering her sweets," the child's father stated in the complaint, who added that Hemant left with another person on a motorcycle.

Hemant alias Bholi, 27, son of Om Prakash and a resident of Bahadurpur, allegedly kidnapped the child and, along with an accomplice, sold her in a village in the Ramgarh police station area.

Acting swiftly, a joint team from Sadar and Ramgarh police, under the supervision of CO rural trainee IPS Shivani Sharma, launched a search operation. "We gathered leads promptly and rescued the girl within four hours," said IPS Shivani Sharma. "Two men who bought the child and a broker have been arrested. The main accused is on the run but teams are actively searching for him," he added.

Police suspect a possible child trafficking network and have launched a broader investigation. The incident has triggered public outrage and locals have demanded stringent punishment for the accused. Authorities have assured the public that justice will be served. "We are investigating all angles to ensure no one involved escapes accountability," Sharma added. The rescued child has been safely reunited with her family.