15 Women From Thailand Rescued From Prostitution Racket In Thane, 4 Arrested

The police arrested four individuals, including the manager of Sitara Lodging and Boarding, charging them with human trafficking and related offences. 

Fifteen women, all natives of Thailand capital Bangkok and forced into prostitution, were rescued by the Thane police’s Anti-Extortion Cell on Tuesday night during a raid at a lodge in the Ulhasnagar area of Maharashtra. The women had reportedly been lured to India with false promises of high-paying jobs.

According to a report of Indian Express, the police arrested four individuals, including the manager of Sitara Lodging and Boarding, charging them with human trafficking and related offenses. 

Police reported that the victims had experienced forced labour and sexual exploitation. During the operation, police seized Rs 5.27 lakh in cash and other incriminating materials.

Senior Police Inspector, Shekhar Bagde, confirmed that a suspect named Kuldeep alias Pankaj Singh has been arrested. “We are investigating how the women were brought to India and identifying those involved in the trafficking,” said the officer.

Prostitution Racket Busted In Mumbai

In a separate incident, a prostitution racket was busted in Mumbai’s Mulund area and the police rescued eight women and one minor girl, news agency PTI reported citing an official familiar with the matter on April 5. The development came after a raid was conducted on a hotel on April 4.

As per the report, the 34-year-old woman who was running the racket had also been arrested in similar cases previously.

"The accused has been arrested in similar cases earlier. A raid was conducted on a hotel in Mulund on Wednesday, leading to eight women and a minor girl getting rescued," a senior police official told PTI.

In a similar incident in February, a 40-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly operating a prostitution racket from a spa located in a popular mall in the Vashi area of Navi Mumbai, according to PTI.

Acting on a tip-off, the police sent a decoy customer to the spa, where they discovered two women, around 20 years old, who were being forced into prostitution. The woman responsible for coercing them into the trade was apprehended.

A case was filed against the accused under sections 370 (trafficking of persons) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with relevant provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, as per the PTI report.