A moment’s negligence could have cost a homeless woman her two-year-old daughter, had the police not intervened quickly. Four days ago, the little girl was abducted from the pavement where her family was sleeping, and was forced to beg on the streets.

But a worse future waited for her, as the kidnapper intended to push her into flesh trade once she was old enough. Fortunately, the police caught up with the accused in the wee hours of yesterday, just as he was about to leave the city with the toddler.