Wadala Police Bust Child Trafficking Ring, Rescue 2 Minors | Image accessed by FPJ
Mumbai: In a major breakthrough in a child trafficking case, Wadala TT Police successfully rescued two minor children and arrested a key woman accused, Reshma Santoshkumar Banerjee (43), from Hooghly, West Bengal. The case dates back to August 5, 2024, when a 65-year-old man, Amar Dhiren Sardar, lodged a missing person complaint regarding his son-in-law Anil Purvayya and his two-year-old grandson.
Upon investigation, police discovered that Anil Purvayya had allegedly sold his minor son for ₹1.6 lakh with the help of three individuals: Asma Shaikh, Sharif Shaikh, and Asha Pawar. On August 21, 2024, an FIR was registered under sections of the BNS and the Juvenile Justice Act against the accused.
Anil and Asma were arrested in Mumbai, and further interrogation revealed Asha Pawar’s involvement. She was arrested in Hyderabad and confessed that on July 9, 2024, the child was sold at Bhubaneswar railway station to a woman named Reshma, with assistance from the other accused.
Technical analysis traced Reshma to various hospitals in Bhubaneswar, including Hi-Tech Dental Hospital and SUM Hospital, but she had left both jobs by the time police arrived. Eventually, her location was tracked to Hubli, Kolkata (West Bengal).
On April 9, 2025, with the help of Uttarpara Police in West Bengal, Mumbai Police found Reshma with the trafficked child and another unidentified 3-year-old girl. She was presented before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in Serampore, and a transit remand was obtained. The rescued children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Hubli. One child was handed over to the Mumbai Police team, while the unidentified girl was placed in a shelter home.
On April 12, 2025, Reshma and the rescued child were brought to Wadala TT Police Station. The child showed signs of physical abuse and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. Consequently, Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act (pertaining to cruelty to children) was added to the case. Investigation is ongoing to identify more people involved in the trafficking network.
