MUMBAI: The parents of a 17-year-old girl were arrested by the police for selling the baby born to their daughter. The shocking incident took place in Palghar district in Maharashtra. The police have registered a case against 16 people in the incident on the complaint lodged by the teenage girl.

In 2021, the girl was impregnated by a youth belonging to a different caste. The girl's parents discovered it in the fourth month. Following this, they approached the principal of their daughter's school and a public worker for help. The parents then took the girl to a private hospital for examination. The girl told the police that when she was pregnant, her father took her to a lawyer's office in Mumbai and made her sign some documents.

In September, the girl gave birth to a baby girl. However, the girl's father soon handed over the baby to the public worker. Only after several months did the girl learn that her parents had sold the baby to another person. Although she contacted her lover over the phone, her family warned the youth to stay away from her.

Later, the girl's family fixed her marriage with another youth. The two engaged in a sexual relationship and the girl became pregnant for the second time. However, after learning about the girl's first pregnancy, the youth refused to marry her. After a few months, the girl gave birth to a baby boy. After learning that her parents were planning to sell her second child, the girl filed a complaint with the police.

According to the police, a case has been registered against the girl's parents, her school principal, a lawyer, two women doctors and a social worker. The police also found that the parents of the child had received Rs 1.50 lakhs each by selling the first baby of the girl. The police are conducting a probe to find the whereabouts of the first baby.