Mahela Bibi with her children in front of their hut. Picture by Surajit Roy

Malda, July 24: A cancer patient and her tuberculosis-affected husband tried to sell their youngest son at a Malda village in a desperate bid to get money to fund their treatment.

The couple are residents of Budhia village, 22km from here. While Mahela Bibi has been suffering from breast cancer for the past seven months, her husband, Samsuddin Haq, recently contracted tuberculosis while working as a day labourer.

Mahela and Samsuddin have five children — three girls and two boys. The one they were trying to sell, Misbaul, is two years old.

Their plan was thwarted when neighbours got wind of the plan and contacted reporters, who got in touch with the authorities.

“It is a very sad incident. Once we came to know about it, the block development officer of Englishbazar, Ananda Sarkar, was sent to the village. He gave the family Rs 5,000 from the district illness assistance fund,” said subdivisional officer (headquarters), Arunima Dey.

She added that the BDO had been asked to ensure that the couple got treated in the district hospital. “We will also arrange for foodgrain to be sent to the family,” said Dey.

Back in the village, Mahela (38) sat with her daughters — Ruby Noor (12), Ruksana (7) and Asmina (5) — and sons — Aziz (10) and Misbaul — in the porch of their mud hut.

“My husband has gone out to beg. After he returns, we will think of eating. I have cancer and my husband contracted TB while working as a day labourer,” she said. Samsuddin is 42.

Without batting an eyelid, Mahela claimed that she had contacted a local person who was willing to buy her son for Rs 15,000.

“He said he would pay the money early next month. I am willing to sell my other children as well. Or if someone wants to raise them, they are welcome to take them home. However, the BDO has given us some money, let us see how long it lasts,” she said.