The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police have arrested a woman who is in her mid-30s for running a prostitution racket from her apartment in Bhayandar. A young student who was rescued from the clutches of the flesh trade racketeer has been sent to a rehabilitation home in Kandivali.
The woman who has been identified as Saira Shaikh, alias Divya Mangalkar, pushed young college students into flesh trade activities by luring them with easy money.
Cops take action after tip-off from NGO
Acting on a tip-off from an NGO, a team led by ASI Umesh Patil, under the supervision of Police Inspector Samir Ahirrao, established contact with the woman through a decoy customer. After striking a deal, the decoy informed the police following which a raid was conducted at the woman’s apartment in the New Golden Nest area of Bhayandar (east) on Friday afternoon.
How accused lured young women
While the woman was arrested and booked under section 370 of the IPC and relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA), her accomplice, identified as Ayesha Shaikh - the main link between the clients and the girls - is absconding. Ayesha, who is in the possession of the details of the persons involved, would identify students in need of money and offer them cash without any encumbrance. The girls would later find themselves trapped in the vicious ring with no way out.
Investigations revealed that Saira and Ayesha used social messaging platforms including-WhatsApp application to communicate with potential clients by sharing photographs of women. The case has been handed over to the Navghar police station for further investigations.
FPJ had earlier carried a report of how young women working as servers or managers in event managing firms were targeted and trapped in flesh trade.
