WorldIndian police said Tuesday they have arrested the heads of an adoption centre suspected of selling at least 17 children to foreign couples, the latest trafficking scandal to hit the country. “Two people were arrested after raids in three charitable homes on Saturday night,” Sashi Panja, state women and child development minister, told AFP. India has an estimated 30 million orphans, but the rules governing international adoptions are strict and domestic adoptions remain relatively rare. Only 4,362 children were legally adopted in 2014 and 3,677 in 2015, according to the Central Adoption Resource Authority. Experts say couples wanting to adopt in India are often frustrated by lengthy bureaucratic delays and complex rules, pushing them towards the thriving illegal adoption market.

Source: Sunday Times February 21, 2017 11:54 UTC