A joint police team raided a suspected prostitution racket in Bihar's Saharsa district on Tuesday, detaining 18 people, including four minor girls, officials said.
The operation was carried out in the Bharatiya Nagar area by personnel from the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), the Cyber Police Station and the Sadar Police Station after authorities received specific intelligence about alleged illegal activities.
Led by Cyber DSP Kalyan Anand, the raid was conducted at around 11:30 am after police verified the tip-off.
During the search, officers seized several objectionable items along with tablets suspected to be linked to the alleged operation. The recovered materials have been sent for examination as part of the investigation.
Police said the detained individuals include 10 women, four minor girls and four young men. Several other suspects managed to flee before the police team reached the spot. Efforts are underway to identify and trace those who escaped, officials said.
According to Anand, the premises had been under surveillance for some time. He said police had conducted a raid at the same location a few days earlier and sealed several properties. He warned that strict legal action would be taken against owners or operators if unlawful activities resume at the sealed premises.
All those detained are being questioned and their identities are being verified. Police said further legal action will be initiated after the investigation is completed, and the accused will be produced before a court in accordance with the law.
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The four minor girls have been placed under protective care, while authorities are following the legal procedures applicable to minors and suspected victims of human trafficking.
Police said the crackdown on organised prostitution and human trafficking will continue across Saharsa district and urged the public to share information about similar illegal activities.