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Police dig into details of 1,300 missing girls from Betul

News on Anti Trafficking in India and South Asia is a   NATIONAL LEGAL RESEARCH DESK – SHAKTI VAHINI LEGAL  RESEARCH INITIATIVE

TIMES OF INDIA

BHOPAL: The police in tribal-dominated Betul district of Madhya Pradesh are working on a case of missing girls which could unearth a huge human trafficking racket manned by an organised inter-state gang from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The district police have so far collected details of some 1,300 girls, who have gone missing from the district over the past few years. These victims were allegedly lured by promising jobs in big cities and taken away from their villages by neighbours or acquaintances. After leaving the villages, the families of the victims have not heard from them. A few girls, who managed to flee from the clutches of the racket, narrated harrowing tales of how they were raped and forced into prostitution.

Speaking to TOI on Monday, superintendent of police (Betul) Lalit Shaikwar claimed that the police cracked yet another network of a human trafficking gang and rescued two minor girls after they were taken to Rajasthan.

A gang of six persons including a woman was arrested on Monday morning from Ratlam district after the girls narrated the story of how they were allegedly abducted, raped and smuggled into Rajasthan. “On June 6, a complaint was lodged with the Ganj police station by a Somlal, a tribal, who reported that two minor girls aged 15 and 16 years were missing from the Hamlapur area on the outskirts of Betul town. The girls had gone to an adjoining field a week ago and did not return home. Families of the missing victims searched the houses of relatives and friends but in vain,” Shaikwar said.

Investigations into the missing girls’ case led the police to busting an inter-state human trafficking racket and arrest of six people, including one woman. The rescued girls then told the police that Pawan and another youth named Prem allegedly raped the girls after abducting them. Later, they were taken to Bhilwara in Rajasthan.

In Bhilwara the bidding was for ‘brides’ – apparently the girls were to be sold to men, who were looking for wives. The sale was about to take place when Pawan was arrested and Malati Verma got a call from the police. The girls returned their home.

Police said that details are being worked on the cases of girls reported missing over the past five years so they can be rescued.

TIMES OF INDIA

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Illicit flesh trade lurks in Ranchi nooks & crannies

RANCHI: On March 24, four sex workers were arrested with three of their clients in an area under Chutia police station, who confessed to operating from a hotel on the busy Station Road with the help of pimps. Further revelations under interrogation led to several raids in various hotels, lodges and residential houses in the city but the police rarely found any success as news of the planed raids always managed to leak somehow.

The flourishing sex racket in the city operates through well organised networks with tentacles outside state borders as well. Ranchi police has nevertheless launched a massive crackdown on prostitution in the city and has busted as many as 26 sex rackets over the past one year.The trade has been found to flourish in the guise of massage parlours, dance bars, cabin restaurants and from seedy hotels and residential colonies. Many massage parlours running sex rackets were busted by the police in Booty More, Bariatu, Harmu and East Jail Road areas in the past year. Three massage parlours were busted between November and December last year from Lalpur police station area alone.

Arrested sex workers revealed their customers range from college students to executives from private companies, brought to them through a network of pimps and managers.”In most massage parlours, which use the front of beauty parlours, a well organized sex racket used to run with a specific set of customers,” said Lalpur officer in-charge Phoolan Nath.”The sex workers arrested so far revealed they do not entertain every client but only those who come through proper channels through pimps or other reference contacts,” said Nath.

The death of one Amit Mukherjee, who was shot dead on July 7 last year near Hotel Yuvraj near Rajendra Chowk, also brought to the fore the competitiveness between various networks involved in the trade. Police investigation revealed Mukherjee used to bring over girls from Burdwan and Kolkata for local customers on demand and was running a lucrative network, which irked other racketeers. The girls he brought used to visit customers in hotels, flats and lodges.

Police also stumbled upon the trend of more and more flesh trade rackets operating from posh residential colonies as well lately. Ranchi SSP Praveen Kumar Singh accepts it is a disturbing trend and says police is trying to curb the menace by conducting frequent raids in possible hideouts and intelligence gathering. Singh also accepted such rackets often go unnoticed until residents of a particular area start to smell something fishy and complain. “No such illicit trade can be allowed in any area and police is keeping a close watch on such activities,” said Singh.

Illicit flesh trade lurks in Ranchi nooks & crannies

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Prostitution racket busted, man held

In a joint raid by the Mizoram Police and the Pune police crime branch at a building in Karvenagar, a man from Mizoram was arrested on charges of bringing girls from Mizoram to the city for prostitution.

The accused, Pu Lalduhawma Rawudena Coil, of North Aizawl in Mizoram, was arrested early on Sunday. The police said he has a case registered against him at Bawngkawn police station in Aizawl under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and Section Five of the of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act.

Social worker Jimmy Lalthanmawia (38) of the anti-human trafficking programme, Community Health Action Network, had lodged a complaint against Rawudena on March 1. The operation was carried out by a team led by senior police inspector Bhanupratap Barge of Social Security Cell and sub-divisional police officer (Aizawl North), Lalthangpui Pulampte at the Sanas building in Parijat Society around 3.30 am on Sunday.

Barge said, “We have found some youngsters — men and women — all from Mizoram, staying in three rented flats in the same building. They said they were brought here for training at ‘Spa Wellness Academy.’ We are verifying the details of this institute and probing if it is registered.”

He added, “The Mizoram police had a tip-off that that Rawudena was bringing girls from Mizoram to Pune for prostitution. Five of the girls have gone back with the Mizoram police saying they did not want to continue training. Rawudena has been granted a transit remand by a Pune court. Action will be taken against the academy if they are found to be breaking any law.”

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/prostitution-racket-busted-man-held/922611/

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Nearly 10,000 people went missing in 8 years

TIMES OF INDIA

JAIPUR: It is a cry for justice for those who have vanished into darkness, probably never to return. A writ petition seeking Rajasthan High Court‘s intervention in tracing a staggering number of people missing from Rajasthan-nearly 10,000 over the past eight years-was filed on Friday.

The petitioner, Krishna Kukkad from one Anti-Social Activities Prevention Society, fears in his petition that many of the missing persons, especially teenaged girls, are likely to have fallen prey to human trafficking gangs.

“However, except lodging missing persons report in a casual manner, nothing has been done seriously to find out the real story behind such large number of missing persons by the state authorities,” the petitioner has said.

He has further pleaded, “the present state of affairs reminds us of the ‘Nithari case’, where many children were reported missing. However, they were found kidnapped and then murdered by one person just below the nose of Noida police in Uttar Pradesh“.

“As per the police records, about 9,400 persons have been reported missing since 2004. Figures are alarming and almost 70 to 80% of missing persons are either children or women. It is quite dreadful,” Kukkad said.

He alleged that state authorities, except in a few highlighted cases, where there is media hype or some persons from the family having high-level connections are kidnapped or missed, had not acted at all.

“One may wonder as to what happens to those children who go missing. Do they fall victim to the child adoption rackets or child kidnappers who would force them join the army of beggars or prostitutes? The percentage of missing children who remain untraced is consistently on the rise in the state,” petitioner’s advocate A K Jain told TOI.

However, the police claim to have undertaken some serious efforts recently. “Earlier, when a person went missing, just a complaint used to be filed. But now instructions have been given to lodge a proper FIR. We keep every details in our records about the missing person including distinct birthmarks and photograph,” said a senior CID, CB officer.

The police department claims to have adopted many new measures to improve the situation. “First, a missing person’s report (MPR) is filed with a particular police station, then the information is sent to all the police stations across the state through radiogram,” he said.

“Then the investigation officer of ASI or SI level goes through all the possibilities where the person could be found. If we fail to trace the person in this way and all the police stations report failure to our headquarters in this regard, we then use the media and other publicity techniques to inform the public about it. Besides, we also inform the police of other states through ZIP NET,” said the officer. The petitioner has made the home secretary and the DGP respondents in the matter. The petition is likely to come up for hearing next week.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Nearly-10000-people-went-missing-in-8-years/articleshow/11943573.cms

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Sex racket busted, 7 including 6 woman arrested

JAMSHEDPUR

Altogether seven people, including six woman involved in a sex racket, being run in a residential area of this industrial city were arrested today, police said. Police conducted the raid in a house in Naya Bustee area under Baghbera police station on a tip off and busted the sex racket. Six woman, including the operator of the racket and a male tout were arrested from the spot. 12 woman suspected to be involved in illicit flesh trade, were arrested from various men s beauty parlours in Sakchi and Golmuri areas of the city yesterday. UNI RAJ AK SK AS1825

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Flesh trade racket busted, cop quizzed

TIMES OF INDIA

MUMBAI: The social service (SS) branch rescued 23 women who had been forced into prostitution from Versova on Saturday morning. Officials also arrested 13 persons, including pimps and the organizers of the racket, and charged them under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA). The cops are also questioning a constable from Versova police station who was found at the rescue site.

The SS branch laid a trap for the organizers after seeing their ads in English and Marathi tabloids. Two undercover cops asked for two girls to be sent to their house in Andheri (W). “The organizers asked us to send the money with the auto driver who would drop the girls. Our men followed the auto to the Mhada colony, where several flats were being used for prostitution purposes,” said assistant commissioner of police (SS branch), Vasant Dhoble.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Flesh-trade-racket-busted-cop-quizzed/articleshow/11150783.cms

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Sex racket on for 6 months: Cops

MARGAO: Police investigations into the prostitution racket that was busted on Friday, following raids at a bungalow at Colmorod-Navelim, revealed that the bungalow was being used for the last six months. A source added that efforts were still on to locate the absconding Bengali couple, who the police suspect to be the key accused in the organized sex racket. The bungalow at Colmorod had been rented out to Babu Bengali, a native of West Bengal.

On Friday, two persons who facilitated the flesh trade were arrested, while two women were forced into prostitution were rescued by police. The bail application for Ashraf Qureshi from Mumbai who used to facilitate the operations was rejected. A police source added that investigations are still underway.

Abbas Moiddin who worked at manager of a ‘resort’ at Maina Curtorim which served as a brothel was granted bail on 10,000 with one surety and was asked to be present at the Margao police station for the next 5 days. Moiddin was arrested following a raid by the police at the resort, after the victims informed the police that they were often sent to that place. Police sources added that further investigations are still underway.

And he is still under arrest under Sections 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act

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Wrong number lands minor in brothel

West Bengal landscape

Image by ILRI via Flickr

DNA / MUMBAI

Mumbai: Mona (name changed) will now probably think twice before returning missed calls from unknown numbers. The 16-year-old girl from the South Gopal Chandi area in West Bengal was forced into prostitution by her boyfriend, who she fell in love with after she returned his numerous missed calls on her mobile phone.

According to the police, Mona repeatedly received missed calls from an unknown number over a couple of days. A few days after she returned the calls with a missed call, the caller identified himself as Arabali alias Asgar Ashraf Mulla, 23, also from West Bengal.

The two developed a friendship and soon fell in love. On November 9, Mulla reportedly popped the question to Mona. Mulla told her to come to Barasat railway station in West Bengal. The girl left home saying she was going to visit a friend. She waited for hours at the station, but when he did not turn up, she called him. Mulla finally reached Barasat station and took her Sialda.

Mulla told Mona that they would stay for a few days at his uncle’s place in Sialda and then would leave for Mumbai, where they would get married. On November 13, Mulla brought Mona to Mumbai and introduced her to one Meena, who runs a prostitution racket. Mona was raped by about 16 people on several occasions at different places, the police said.

Mulla warned her against revealing her sexual abuse, said an officer from the Dongri police station.

We raided a building in Dongri on November 18 after receiving a tip-off that it was being used to run a prostitution racket. We nabbed the victim, Meena and Mulla. The victim then narrated her ordeal to us, after which we sent her to the Dongri children’s home,” the officer said. The police are checking if Mulla had conned other girls in a similar way and forced them into prostitution.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-MUM-wrong-number-lands-minor-in-brothel-2583549.html

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Four booked for forcing girl into prostitution

TIMES OF INDIA
YAMUNANAGAR: The district police on Sunday booked two couples for allegedly forcing a girl into prostitution. The development followed during the raid conducted by police, while unearthing a flesh trade racket flourishing from the residential colony here. Couples identified as Kamal Bakshi and his wife Maya and Sachin and his wife Reena were booked in a case of rape and abduction and a case of prostitution registered against them at Farukpur police station. The victim is also been booked for prostitution, the police said.

The incident took place during late night hours of Saturday when the police laid a trap to unearth the flesh trade racket following a tip off. A decoy customer clicked the deal with Kamal Bakshi and his wife and signalled the police party. During the raid, victim girl, a native from Bihar was found confined in a room. During questioning, the victim informed investigating officer that Kamal approached her when she was waiting for a bus at Farukpur bus stop. He lured her of getting an employment and took her to a residential colony where she was allegedly repeatedly raped by him and Sachin for a fortnight. Following that they brought her to the house and their wives forced her into prostitution.

“We are in the process of verifying the facts of the statement of the girl. A case has already been registered,” inspector Rajiv Niglani, the SHO of Farukpur police station said.

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Prayer hall used as prostitution hub in Subbanna Palya

Bangalore: The women and narcotics squad of Central Crime Branch (CCB) police arrested two brothers for allegedly running a prostitution racket from a house in Subbanna Palya, near Banasawadi, on Monday.

The accused have been identified as Basavaraju alias John, 68, a resident of Subbannapalya, and his brother Krishnakumar, 42, a resident of Lingarajapuram. The police have also rescued three women from the house.

Basavaraju resided in the house, which also served as a prayer hall. Women from the neighbourhood and other areas of the city used to visit the house to pray.

Basavaraju trapped a few good-looking women, who came to attend prayer sessions, by offering them jobs.  The women believed in Basavaraju and used to stay in the house for a few days.

Basavaraju then arranged customers for the women and collected Rs 500- 1,000 from each client.  However, he never victimised women in the neighbourhood as he wanted to build a good image of himself in the area. The  house from where he ran the prostitution racket had three rooms. The police have seized Rs 550 in cash and two mobile phones.

A case has been registered in Banasawadi police station.  Industrialist accused of rape A 42-year-old woman has alleged that she was raped and cheated by an industrialist in Sadashivanagar.

The police said that Suta Bharathi (name changed) has filed a complaint against Anand Prabhu, proprietor of Prakash Beedi Industry.  She alleged that Prabhu, who had promised to marry her four years ago, did not keep his word.

The woman stated that she was raped by Prabhu several times. She also alleged that Prabhu sent goons, who threatened her to vacate the flat that was presented to her by the industrialist.

Prabhu wanted to give the flat to another girlfriend, Bharathi stated. The police have registered a case of cheating and rape.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/BAN-prayer-hall-used-as-prostitution-hub-in-subbanna-palya-2567832.html

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