In a shocking revelation, the district administration of Kolhapur has come to know of around 31 boys — ranging from four years to 10 years of age — being sold off to the shepherd community living in Radhanagari taluka, 60 kms from Kolhapur. The boys were sold off for between Rs 3,000 and Rs 10,000 each.

The children belong to a tribe called Wanar Mari and 11 families from this tribe reside in a small hamlet named Bhairi Bhambara in Radhanagari taluka, and earn their livelihood by hunting, collecting honey and other things from the forest. However, they live in utmost poverty, driving the fathers to sell their sons for paltry sums to the shepherd community.