Five persons, including three women, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly kidnapping a two and half year old boy and selling him to a childless couple for Rs 70,000 in Thane, Maharasthra.

According to police, the boy was kidnapped on September 15 from near his house when he was playing. His parents approached the police after failing to find him.

"The police pasted the pictures of the missing child on autorickshaws in Ambarnath town. Soon, police got a tip-off from a rickshaw driver that the child was spotted in Bharat Nagar locality of Ulhasnagar township in the district," said inspector Sanjay Dhumal.

A couple handed over the minor to the police, who confirmed that it was the same child. He was then reunited with his parents on September 19, inspector Dhumal added.

After investigation it was revealed that a woman named Jainatbi Fakir Mohammad Khan sold the child to the couple for Rs 70,000.

Jainatbi additionally named four other accused during questioning – Pooja Mahesh Chettiar (28), Sheru Sukhram Saroj (45), Mukesh Anil Kharva (36) and Maya Sukhdev (30).