11-month-old baby kidnapped for begging rescued within hours in Gujarat, 4 arrested

An 11-month-old baby kidnapped in Porbandar was rescued within hours, and four people were arrested. The case has highlighted the alleged targeting of vulnerable families for begging rackets.

In Short

• Police rescued the 11-month-old infant within five hours of complaint
• Four accused, including a woman, were caught while fleeing on a bus
• Investigators used CCTV footage, technical surveillance and other leads to trace suspects

An 11-month-old baby who was allegedly kidnapped to be used for begging was rescued within hours by police in Gujarat's Porbandar district, leading to the arrest of four people, including a woman, officials said.

The incident came to light on Thursday evening when the child's mother approached the police with a complaint that three men and a woman had allegedly snatched her infant and fled. Acting swiftly on the complaint, police launched a coordinated operation and tracked down the accused within four to five hours.

According to Porbandar Deputy Superintendent of Police Ritu Raba, multiple teams were formed immediately after the complaint was received. Investigators relied on technical surveillance, CCTV footage and other leads to trace the suspects' movements.

The trail eventually led police to a bus being used by the accused to flee the area. With assistance from the Porbandar Local Crime Branch (LCB), Veraval LCB, personnel from Kirtimandir and Kamalabagh police stations, and staff at the state transport depot, officers intercepted the vehicle and rescued the child.

The infant was found unharmed and was reunited with his mother soon after the rescue operation.

During the investigation, police learned that the accused had allegedly targeted the woman after discovering that she was in a vulnerable situation. According to officials, her husband had died about a month ago and she had no immediate support from either her parental or in-laws' family.

Police said the suspects allegedly believed that the woman would be unable to seek legal help or pursue a complaint, making her an easy target. Taking advantage of her circumstances, they allegedly abducted the child and attempted to flee.

The mother initially sought help from people around her, but did not receive any assistance. She later approached the police, who immediately registered the complaint and launched the rescue operation.

During preliminary interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed that they had kidnapped the infant with the intention of using him for begging, police said.

All four accused are currently in police custody. Further investigation is underway to determine whether the group was involved in similar crimes or had links to a larger network engaged in child exploitation and forced begging.

Police officials said the swift rescue was made possible through coordinated efforts by multiple units and the rapid use of surveillance and tracking tools. The case has raised concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable families and the use of children in begging rackets.

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