Mira Road: WhatsApp used to run sex racket, 1 held, 3 women rescued

Prostitution activities seems to be thriving in the twin-city, as several sex rackets have been exposed one after the another. The anti-human trafficking unit (AHTU) of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police busted yet another high-profile prostitution racket and arrested a 53-year-old woman in Mira Road on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off about immoral trafficking of women in the Twin Cities, a team led by ASI-Umesh Patil, under the supervision of Police Inspector-Devidas Handore, established contact with the woman (name withheld) through a decoy customer.

It came to light that the accused woman used social messaging platforms, including the WhatsApp application, to communicate with potential clients by sharing photographs of women she had to offer for the rendezvous. After striking a deal of Rs 20,000 for a woman, the decoy informed the police team, following which a trap was laid near the Shivar Garden area in Mira Road and the pimp was apprehended as she arrived there in an auto-rickshaw.

Three women were also rescued from the clutches of the fresh trade racketeers. Investigations revealed that the rescued women who earlier worked in event management and catering firms were lured and also forced into flesh trade.

A case under section 370 of the IPC and relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA) has been registered against the woman who has been remanded in custody. The rescued women have been shifted to a rehabilitation centre.

Further investigations were underway to find the lodges that were encouraging the pimps by facilitating space for their illegal activities.

Published on: Friday, August 26, 2022, 05:52 PM IST