Ludhiana, May 19 -- Khanna Police on Monday arrested six persons, including an ASHA worker, for allegedly procuring newborns from financially vulnerable families and facilitating their illegal adoption through an unauthorised network operating in the region.

The officials also rescued a newborn during the operation and later reunited the infant with the biological mother.

Superintendent of police (detective) Pawanjeet Chaudhary said police had received information regarding a group allegedly involved in taking custody of newborns from economically distressed families in exchange for money and arranging illegal adoptions through private channels.

"Acting on the inputs, police teams conducted a raid in the Dana Mandi Road area and arrest...