India, Feb. 24 -- The Himachal Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested six more people in connection with an inter-state newborn trafficking racket, bringing the total number of arrests to nine. The crackdown follows the unearthing of a gang operating across Punjab and Haryana that allegedly sold infants under the guise of facilitating adoptions.

The investigation began after a complaint by Rohit Rana on February 17 in which he alleged he was defrauded of Rs.23,500 by an agent, Deepak Anand, who promised to arrange a child for adoption. Subsequent raids in Jalandhar and Batala in Punjab led to the arrest of Anand and two women accomplices, exposing a network that duped aspiring parents.

How racket worked

According to Dehra superintendent of...