Nagpur: A 23-year-old mother fought off four transgender individuals who allegedly tried to kidnap her four-month-old son from their home in Gaddigodam on Monday afternoon. The transgenders, all residents of West Bengal, were charged by Jaripatka police for attempted kidnapping. The four were released after being served a notice.The mother, Mehvish Khan, in her statement to the Jaripatka police said that the four accused quietly entered her home while she was busy in afternoon prayers. Rather than seeking alms, one of the intruders lifted the sleeping infant, Hasnain, from his cradle with the clear intention of walking away with him, the mother said. Mehvish’s other son, two-year-old Armaan, was playing nearby. Startled, Mehvish pushed the person, forcing the individual to drop the child on the bed before all four accused fled the house. Mehvish immediately ran to her brother Salman Salim Ansari’s house in the same lane and raised an alarm. Ansari, along with other residents of the area, started searching for the transgenders. The group soon located the four suspects near the Bada Gurudwara. By then, news about the incident had spread like wildfire through Gaddigodam and neighbouring areas. Angry crowd rounded up and nearly manhandled the four individuals in outrage.Police personnel soon rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. Meanwhile a local resident also called on Childline number 1098, prompting officials to verify the infant’s well-being.The police identified the accused as Mohaldul Mafijeddin Malik (26), Saburli Iran Ali Gain (45), Qurban Ali Khan (25), and Sharabuddin Sheikh (20). The transgenders insisted that they only came to ask for alms and playfully picked up the child for a few seconds. They denied any intention of abducting the baby.District Child Protection Officer Mushtak Pathan demanded a thorough investigation and said strict anti-human trafficking sections should be invoked if any organised pattern of child-lifting is uncovered. “A thorough probe is necessary to ascertain if this group is part of a larger racket targeting vulnerable infants in the region,” Pathan said, adding that a strong message needs to be sent against any form of exploitation of small children.Police are now checking the suspects’ criminal records, call detail records, travel movements, and possible links to similar complaints. Residents across Jaripatka and surrounding areas went on high alert, watching out for any stranger approaching homes having young children.
