Balangir, Sept 3: A suspected organised sex racket operating through hotels and rented houses in Balangir city has been busted following a series of police raids, exposing a network allegedly involving brokers, women traffickers and facilitators.
According to police, the racket operated largely through WhatsApp. Customers were allegedly sent photographs of women through messaging groups, following which prices, locations and timings were finalised. Payments were reportedly made online.
Police said brokers involved in the network circulated photographs among different groups to find customers and earned commissions for each transaction. Some members of the syndicate allegedly brought women from other districts and states.
The racket came to light during an investigation into a ganja-related case. Balangir SP Abhilash G led inspections at several hotels and guest houses across the city.
During a raid at a hotel near the railway station under Town police limits, police reportedly found young men and women in suspicious circumstances in rooms 103 and 106. Subsequent questioning allegedly revealed that prostitution was being facilitated from the hotel rooms.
Police subsequently arrested several persons in connection with the operation. The accused reportedly include Geetanjali Bag of Binika in Subarnapur district, Sahanbaz Abdullah, Suresh Sahu, Jagmohan Beria, Nabaghan Suna of Tushura and Sudarshan Behera of Deogaon.
Police also uncovered another suspected prostitution network operating from a rented house near Alok Nagar under Laxmijore police limits.
During the raid, three young men and three women were reportedly found at the premises. Police detained Ashish Kumbhar, Srikant Suna, Amulya Mallik, Swarnalata Mallik and two women for questioning.
According to police, Amulya and his wife Swarnalata were allegedly bringing women from Mayurbhanj and Kolkata to the rented house and facilitating the illegal trade. Police identified the couple as key operators in the second case.
Overall, police reportedly rescued nine women and arrested seven persons in the two cases.
One of the major arrests was that of Geeta Bag, who was allegedly operating as a middleman in the railway station area. Police said she had been involved in the racket for a long time.
Geeta was also reportedly wanted in connection with a pending POCSO case and had allegedly been absconding. Despite this, police said she continued to operate the suspected prostitution network in the city.
According to investigators, Geeta had allegedly brought a minor girl into the racket. The girl later became pregnant. Following a medical examination by health and Anganwadi workers, she was reportedly identified as being from Bargarh district.
A Zero FIR was subsequently registered by the minor, following which the case was transferred to Balangir Town police as the alleged incident had taken place within its jurisdiction. Police recorded the minor's statement and had been searching for Geeta before she was arrested during the latest operation.
The raids have raised concerns over the alleged operation of an organised network involving multiple layers-from brokers and suppliers to facilitators and establishments used to provide accommodation.
