The Indian Express has reported that the West Bengal police, India, said a couple had sold their baby to buy an iPhone.

An unidentified senior police officer told ‘The Express’ that the mother said they intended to travel, film, and post content on Instagram with the proceeds from the sale of their eight-month-old baby.

According to a Barrackpore Police Commissionerate official quoted in the news story, locals raised concerns that the pair had recently purchased a brand-new phone, which prompted police to be notified.

West Bengal has areas of extreme poverty, according to the World Bank, which may have contributed to the suspicion. A 2022 PRS Legislative Research report stated that the region’s GDP per capita, a measure of income, was about $1,600, a little more than the cost of a brand-new iPhone 14 in the country at that time.

The Express reported that the couple has been recognised as Jaydev Ghosh and Sathi.

According to The Express, police claimed they sold their son to Priyanka Ghosh, a resident of the same area.

She and the mother have both been taken into custody, the police official reportedly told the newspaper.

The mother then confessed to the crime after being questioned, the officer said, adding that she and her husband planned to use the money to travel the state and make videos for Instagram Reels.

As per reports, the cops have saved the baby.

The newspaper reported that police claimed the father of the newborn attempted to sell their older child, a seven-year-old, but his plan fell through.

The publication reported that according to the police, the baby’s father is currently on the run.