India, June 19 -- New Delhi

The Delhi Police has arrested 13 members of a suspected interstate child trafficking syndicate, including an owner of a Delhi-based hospital, and rescued five infants from families that allegedly purchased them over the past fortnight, officers aware of the matter said on Thursday.

Police said that questioning of those arrested, which includes traffickers, agents, suppliers, mediators, transporters and buyers, among others, revealed that the syndicate mostly targeted tribal families living in remote areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat, and sold the babies to childless couples in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

They said that four of the five babies were rescued from three childless couples ...