A 26-year-old dancer-cum-massage therapist would not have had to run naked on the streets of uptown Banjara Hills in the wee hours of Friday had the Jubilee Hills police taken strict action against her co-workers for assaulting her, instead of ‘settling’ the issue.
When passers-by noticed a young woman with severe injuries running naked on Road No 12 of Banjara Hills, they immediately called the police and shifted her to a nearby hospital for immediate medical assistance. Her rescue led to the busting of a high-end prostitution racket running in the heart of the city. The racket, organised by one Sanjana, had several models and a long list of customers, mostly techies and businessmen.
In her complaint to the Banjara Hills police, the victim, a native of Kolkata, stated that she came to Hyderabad from Delhi on May 9 at the request of Sanjana. “Three days later, on May 12, myself and two others – Komati and Sunitha – went to an apartment of a techie at Jubilee Hills after they contacted Sanjana. “
“A few hours later, Komati and Sunitha thrashed me for some petty reason, and out of fear, I called Dial 100 at 5 a.m. on May 13. Jubilee Hills police came and settled the issue,” she said.
Later, the three of them when to their ‘place’ on Road No. 12, where the two women along with Sanjana started attacking the victim again. “When I told them that I would call the police, they tore my clothes, confined me in a room and threatened me with dire consequences. Later, they started hitting me with an iron rod, a hair dryer and bit me. They also poured hand sanitiser and insect killer spray in my eyes, mouth and private parts,” she said.
However, a few minutes later, she bolted herself inside a bathroom on the first floor of the building and managed to escape through a ventilator. She jumped from the first floor and started to run. The watchman of a building noticed the woman and gave her some clothes before the police were informed about her.
“Had the Jubilee Hills police responded properly and took the women into custody, the situation would not have become complicated, and the victim would not have had to run for her life. I hope senior officers will take necessary action against the officers in question,” a police officer said.
Based on her complaint, a case was registered against Sanjana, Komati and Sunitha under Section 307 (attempt to murder), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), read with 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and they were remanded to judicial custody.
