Thane, November 7, 2026: In a swift operation, Mumbra Police have busted an alleged infant trafficking racket within 24 hours, arresting 10 accused and safely rescuing a 20-day-old baby boy who was allegedly taken away as part of a child-selling deal worth Rs 2.5 lakh.
The case came to light after a 19-year-old woman, identified as Anisa Rafiq Shaikh, approached the police. The complainant, who earns her livelihood by begging near Mumbra railway station, alleged that Rehan Rizwan Shaikh (22), a resident of Mumbra, had pressured her into selling her 20-day-old infant for Rs 2.5 lakh.
The accused allegedly assaulted the complainant and her sister with a wire and forcibly took away money from them while attempting to conceal the matter.
Police Register FIR And Launch Investigation
Following the complaint, Mumbra Police registered an FIR on November 5, 2026, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and launched an intensive investigation.
Under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Ganesh Javadwad, police formed five teams to trace the accused and locate the missing infant. Acting on the information received, the teams conducted searches across Mumbra, Diva, Kalyan, Dombivli and other locations.
Ten Accused Arrested Across Multiple Locations
The investigation led to the arrest of 10 people, including Rehan Rizwan Shaikh (22), Farhan alias Faro Rehan Shaikh (29), Jyoti Naresh Patil (35), Farida Akbar Sayyed (52), Husna alias Hurna Altaf Shaikh (27), Anita Gopinath Dhore (42), Sunita Pravin Khedkar (30), Gopinath Kisan Dhore (46), Pratibha Prakash Parab (46) and Shilpa Pradeep Sathe (34).
While several accused were apprehended from Mumbra and neighbouring areas, police teams also traced suspects in Jalna, Dombivli and Diva. One team travelled to Ratnagiri, where it successfully traced the infant and brought him safely back to Mumbra Police Station.
Infant Handed Over To Child Welfare Authorities
After being rescued, the baby underwent a medical examination and was placed in the care of the child welfare authorities. As per the police, the infant has been shifted to Janani Ashish Sanstha in Dombivli under the guidance of the Child Welfare Committee. Further procedures will be carried out before the committee.
The arrested accused were granted police custody until November 10, 2026, and further investigation is being conducted by Police Inspector Vrushali Pawar.
Operation Conducted Under Senior Officers' Guidance
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre, Joint Commissioner of Police Gyaneshwar Chavan, Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Dudhe and Deputy Commissioner of Police Balasaheb Patil, along with other senior officers.
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The swift action by Mumbra Police ensured that the infant was safely recovered and brought out of the alleged trafficking network within 24 hours of the case being registered.
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