Bhubaneswar, Aug. 5: Police rescued the baby girl, who had allegedly been sold by her parents in order to foot the hospital bill for her birth, and arrested four persons, including the proprietor of a private nursing home in Kendrapara town.

The baby's father, Nirakar Moharana, 35, a resident of Righagada village under Rajnagar tehsil, yesterday lodged a complaint at Kendrapara town police station.

"The baby has been rescued, and following instructions from the District Child Welfare Committee, she has been handed over to her biological parents," said Kendrapara town police station inspector Bijoy Kumar Bishi.

He said the cops arrested four persons, including one Accredited Social Health Activist Annapurna Moharana, who had recommended shifting the pregnant woman from the government hospital to the private nursing home for the delivery.

Syed Iftekar, 28, owner of Surya Nursing Home in Kendrapara town and the apparent mastermind of the child sale incident, was arrested. The other two arrested are Seikh Munna, an employee of the nursing home, and Seikh Sahabuddin, who is childless and bought the newborn, said Bishi.

The accused persons were booked under section 372 (selling of minor child for unlawful and immoral purpose) of the Indian Penal Code, section 81 of the Juvenile Justice Act and section 41 of the Clinical Establishment Act. They were sent to jail after a local court dismissed their bail applications.

"I am happy to get my child back. Hospital authorities had created such circumstances that we were compelled to sell our child. It is by God's grace that child has come back to my lap," said Gitanjali, the newborn's mother.

On Tuesday, Gitanjali gave birth to the baby at the private nursing home after the village health worker had persuaded the couple to shift from the government hospital. The couple was billed Rs 7,500 by the private nursing home. Since they did not have so much money, they were forced to sell the girl to a childless couple to clear their dues.

"I am a poor daily wage earner. I had thought the delivery would be conducted free of cost at the government hospital. But the village health worker took us to a private hospital. I was shocked when I was charged Rs 7,500. I was not in a position to pay the amount, because I had less than Rs 1,000 in my pocket. The hospital authorities did not let me go until the bill was cleared," he had said.