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Prostitution, trafficking rings under scanner

A raid on a house near the General Hospital has blown the lid off a major criminal operation in Puducherry, writes Rajesh Nair

The recent incidents of trafficking of minor girls to the territory have impelled the police to crack down on brokers and book them under the Indian Penal Code.

The trafficking came to light when agents started attracting clients by placing obscene visiting cards in parked cars inside the town and in residential areas.

This led the police to mount a close surveillance on people suspected of running prostitution rings and raid brothels. One such raid on a residential house near the General Hospital blew the lid off the trafficking of minor girls from other States.

Two girls, from Chennai and Kolkata, were rescued and handed over to Society for Development Research and Training (SFDRT) for rehabilitation. The girl from Kolkata had conceived and was in a "depressed state," according to Chhaya Sharma, Senior Superintendent of Police. Police arrested four persons, who acted as brokers, and had them remanded to judicial custody.

While the girl from Chennai was kidnapped from a dance class there, the girl from Kolkata was brought to Chennai by a woman from her village, and sold to a man who promised to marry her.

Police said the kingpin of the entire operation was Siva, who hailed from Puducherry. He was arrested from Melmaravathur recently.

Based on the statements of the girls that they were raped and beaten up with an iron rod, and medical examination, a case was registered under sections of the IPC including for rape, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, hurt and false promises that they would be married.

A bone ossification test of the girls revealed that they were in the 16-17 age group.

Police said Siva had developed a broad network within the territory as well as in Tamil Nadu. He was assisted by Kalimuthu, a native of Chennai who was recently booked under Goondas Act.

Panchali, a member of SFDRT, said the brokers had developed a large network. She said trafficking of minor girls for commercial sex had been on for a long time but the authorities turned a blind eye. According to her, it started with the mushrooming of dance bars.

The brokers have links with anti-socials and use them to threaten anyone attempting to expose their activities.

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