Bangladeshi teen rescued from Palghar sex racket says 200 men sexually assaulted her in 3 months
Palghar (PTI): A 14-year-old Bangladeshi girl rescued from a sex racket in Maharashtra's Palghar district has told police she was sexually assaulted by at least 200 men in a span of three months, an official said on Monday, adding the claim was being verified.
The minor was rescued after the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar Police, in a joint operation with NGOs Exodus Road India Foundation and Harmony Foundation, raided a flat in Naigaon in Vasai here on July 26, the official said.
Six of those arrested and three of the five victims, including the 14-year-old girl, are Bangladeshi nationals, he said. Among those arrested are two women, aged 33 and 32, who allegedly facilitated the juvenile's entry into India from Bangladesh.
So far, ten persons have been arrested, Naigaon police station senior inspector Vijay Kadam said.
As per her statement given at a juvenile detention centre, she was first trafficked to Nadiad in Gujarat, where she suffered sexual abuse, another police official said.
Harmony Foundation president Abraham Mathai said the girl had failed in a subject in school, after which she ran away from home.
She was then made to cross over into India illegally by a woman acquaintance who then pushed her into the flesh trade, Mathai claimed.
All the 200 men who allegedly sexually abused her must be traced and arrested, Mathai demanded.
Police officials also said the girl may have been given hormonal injections to induce premature puberty.
Human rights activist Madhu Shankar said there are instances of victims being kidnapped from various parts of the country when they were infants, made to live with those operating such rackets, and then pushed into the flesh trade as minors after being given such injections.
MBVV police commissioner Niket Kaushik said the force is taking all efforts to expose the entire racket and provide a safe environment to vulnerable teenagers.
Another official told PTI the allegations of the teen girl are being verified.
As per police, the victims of the sex racket busted on July 26 in Naigaon were allegedly trafficked to different locations like Navi Mumbai, Pune in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and other places in the country.
Those arrested include main accused Mohammad Khalid Abdul Bapari (33), who was allegedly responsible for sending the victims to various cities for flesh trade, and agents Juber Harun Sheikh (38) and Shamim Gafar Sardar (39), the police said.
The accused also gave sedatives to the minor girl, branded her with a hot spoon as part of efforts to force her into the flesh trade, the official said.
Police teams have been dispatched to various places in the country to apprehend others involved in the racket, he said.
A case was registered on July 27 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Juvenile Justice Act, Foreigners Act and the Passport Act, the police added.
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Woman threatens to end life as police official refuses to accept love proposal, FIR registered
Bengaluru (PTI): A woman was booked on charges of obstructing a police inspector from discharging his official duties and threatening to commit suicide if he did not accept her love proposal, police said on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old inspector attached to the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station here alleged that the woman repeatedly harassed him, they said.
According to his complaint, the harassment began on October 30, when he started receiving calls from an unknown woman from multiple phone numbers.
During these calls, she allegedly spoke incoherently and claimed to have close links with several highly placed individuals, including the Chief Minister, Deputy CM, Home Minister and other political leaders.
Police said the woman sent photographs via WhatsApp purportedly showing herself with these dignitaries and claimed she could use their influence to compel the inspector to accept her proposal. She also allegedly threatened to use her contacts against him if he refused.
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The inspector said that he advised her to visit the police station and submit a written complaint if she had any grievance. However, she did not do so and instead continued to repeatedly call and send messages, which disturbed his official duties, the FIR said.
According to the FIR, on November 7, the woman allegedly visited his office and handed over an envelope containing some tablets along with handwritten letters. The letters contained emotionally charged and inappropriate content, and the woman claimed they were written using her blood, indicating obsessive behaviour.
Despite being clearly informed that the number she was contacting was an official departmental number meant for public service, she allegedly continued making unnecessary calls and messages, causing mental harassment and obstruction to his day-to-day duties, he alleged.
During the inquiry, police learnt that the woman had allegedly exhibited similar behaviour with other police and government officials in the past, it stated.
On December 12, she allegedly went to his police station and shouted and threatened to commit suicide and ruin the inspector's career if he did not respond to her proposal, prompting him to lodge a complaint.
"Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the woman under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station. The matter is under investigation," police said.
