Desperate act: Indian man tries to sell his son to repay debt
An Indian man from the city of Aligarh attempted to sell his own son to repay a debt. The man planned to use the money to repay a loan he'd taken out for his house. However, the police intervened and stopped the sale.
6:01 PM EDT, November 2, 2023
The 45-year-old debtor, known as Rajkumar, hails from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, India. As per AsiaWire's report, he intended to sell his son to clear a debt he incurred from a property purchase. Rajkumar, a rickshaw driver by profession, was reportedly under intense pressure from a moneylender, compelling him to consider desperate measures.
Rajkumar and his family, which included his son, daughter, and wife, lingered at the Roadways bus station in Aligarh for an extended time. With a sign around his neck proclaiming "My son is for sale, I want to sell him," the distressed family waited until law enforcement personnel stepped in. According to AsiaWire's quote from local media, the asking price for the young boy was approximately 800 thousand Indian rupees or around $5,307.
Rajkumar confessed to the harassment he faced and revealed that the moneylender had confiscated his rickshaw, his sole income source, as per a report by New Delhi Television. He voiced that if he could sell his son off, at least he'd be able to educate his daughter and marry her off. Before this desperate act, he reportedly sought help from the local police station, but to no avail.
