Two girls from a small village in Madhya Pradesh, including a minor, were rescued from enforced prostitution by the Mira Road police, who have also arrested a woman and her accomplice in this connection.
The successful rescue attempt came about after an alert auto driver tipped off a journalist, who informed the police. The girl was first sold into prostitution in Agra, from where she was brought to Mira Road. She was about to be sold to a Kolkata-based pimp when she managed to escape and inform the auto driver.
PI Jagdish Shinde with Mira Road police station said Saroj Singh, 65, and her son, Sanjay, 35, both residents of Mira Road, have been arrested. He said two girls, including a 17-year-old minor — both residents of Nakhuni village in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh — were lured by a man in their village with promises of helping them become successful models or actors in Bollywood.
The girls fell for it and escaped with the man, who took them to Agra and sold them into prostitution. Both girls were brought to Mira Road in the first week of July and forced to work as commercial sex workers in a racket run by the Singhs.
Mr. Shinde said, “On Thursday, when Saroj and Sanjay were at home, the minor managed to escape and hailed a passing autorickshaw. He heard out her story and immediately called Sandip Jha, a journalist for a Hindi newspaper. The police raided the flat and rescued the other girl, aged 21.”
He added that the duo have been arrested on charges of rape and kidnapping under the IPC as well as under sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trade Act (PITA) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO), 2012. Both accused are in police custody, and the police are looking for those involved in Agra and the man in Shahdol village.
Dr. Mahesh Patil, SP (Thane Rural) said the police will be honouring the alert driver and Mr. Jha for the role they played in rescuing the victims.
The writer is a freelance journalist
Victims were lured by a man in their village who promised to help them become models or actors in Bollywood
