CBI: Tirupati, Shirdi in Nexus Too

Human traffickinjg - Tirupati, Shirdi in Nexus Too
By: Anshuman G Dutta
Date: 2009-05-21
They are traditional soul-cleansing destinations. But pilgrim towns Benaras, Tirupati and Shirdi have instead become hubs of global human traffickingNineteen-year-old Seema (name changed to protect her identity) had come to Benaras on a pilgrimage. It was the city's religious importance that had persuaded her parents in Nepal to allow their young daughter to travel to a foreign country.
Sin City: Pilgrims at one of the ghats of BenarasBut instead of angels, Seema met the demons here. She was held captive, gang-raped and then pushed into the flesh trade.Fortunately, Seema was rescued by an NGO and a group of students from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) who have decided to cleanse the holy city's unholy underbelly.Non-government orgnisations working in Benaras say 500 to 700 girls are brought to the city from Nepal and Bangladesh to be pushed into the flesh trade every year. Later, these girls are taken to Mumbai, Delhi and other metropolitan cities. That's not all. Between 20,000 and 40,000 people are brought here to work as bonded labourers while about 1,000 children are turned into beggars every year.But Benaras is not the only Indian town of religious importance that has become a ripe picking ground for human traffickers. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has revealed cities like Benaras, Tirupati and Shirdi attract human traffickers who find easy targets from among the large number of people who visit these places.
Hotbed Benaras "Seema was only 17 when she was brought to Benaras. She fought her captors and resisted even in the face of near-starvation and physical torture. But her will snapped after she was gang-raped by the members of a human trafficking racket," said Dr Lenin Suryavanshi, director, People's Vigilance Commission on Human Resource, one of the most prominent NGOs working in Benaras.According to Suryavanshi, the Benaras-based gangs "cater" to clients in all the big cities of the country. Children and girls are also brought to Benaras from Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa.
"While most of them are forced into prostitution and begging, many are made to work as bonded labourers as well. Many of them work in the bricks kilns around Benaras," said Suryavanshi.The CBI and NGOs also informed that the racket is thriving between Benaras and Mughalsarai. "There is no denying that human trafficking is rampant in these parts but no own knows how deep-rooted it is. Regular raids are being carried out but the police hardly get any proof as the gangs keep moving along with the kids and girls," said a senior police official from Benaras, wishing anonymity.CBI has an eye on Tirupati and ShirdiThe CBI, in a recently conducted seminar on human trafficking, revealed that religious towns like Benaras are happy hunting grounds for international gangs as well.
"India is being used as source, transit point and destination by global human traffickers," said CBI director Ashwani Kumar at the seminar, organised in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC).A senior CBI official was more specific. "Benaras and Tirupati are two of the most active destinations for both inter-country and intra-country human trafficking. All kind of human trafficking networks child labour, flesh trade and begging rackets are being operated from these cities," said the officer."There is a complete list of religious places from where begging and prostitution gangs are operating. Shirdi is one such town in western India where gangs force children and women into begging," he added.Another senior CBI official said that the investigating body is actively monitoring these religious places to take stock of the situation."So far no one knows the exact strength of the trafficking rackets being operated from these cities. It's being run in connivance with international gangs," he said, wishing not to be named.Unholy factsNGOs working in Benaras say 500 to 700 girls are brought to the city from Nepal and Bangladesh for prostitution every year. Between 20,000 and 40,000 people are brought here to work as bonded labourers, while about 1,000 kids are turned into beggars.
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Eunuch convicted for raping minor

Eunuch convicted for raping minor
15 May 2009, 1650 hrs IST, PTI
MUMBAI: The sessions court on Friday sentenced a eunuch to ten years rigorous imprisonment on charges of raping a minor girl and immoral trafficking. Additional sessions judge P V Ganediwala convicted the eunuch Rekha Lamb (42), who has been diagnosed with AIDS, on charges of rape and under various sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act. Another accused, Sarfaraj Siddiqui (23), who had paid Rekha to sleep with a minor girl, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the court. On February 16, 2007 the Trombay police had raided Rekha's residence in suburban Chembur and had found Siddiqui and a minor girl in the front room in a compromising position and Rekha in the kitchen with another minor girl. According to the statement of one of the girls, she used to do household chores at Rekha's house since last year when one day Rekha raped her. Since last three to four months, Rekha has been getting customers to her house for sexual favours with the two girls, the prosecution has said. Public prosecutor Usha Kiran Makasare examined nine witnesses in the case including the two girls and Rekha's neighbour who had informed the police about the racket.

Trafficking of Indian ladies to Middle East

Date:30/06/2008
Andhra Pradesh -
Kadapa Three held on charge of human trafficking
Special Correspondent
KADAPA: Rayachoti police arrested Pasupuleti Veera Nagaiah, Jeelani and Mahaboob Basha and remanded them on charges of resorting to human trafficking, Kadapa Superintendent of Police Mahesh M. Bhagwat said on Sunday. The police are making efforts to apprehend Nazeer, who was allegedly involved in trafficking of women to Kuwait in the past.
A 40-year-old woman victim (whose name the police withheld) of Gorlamudivedu village in Rayachoty had approached Pasupuleti Veera Nagaiah collected Rs. 40,000 from her promising to send her to Kuwait as a maid servant. He sent her to Kuwait through an unauthorised agent Jeelani of Rayachoty and his brother Mahaboob Basha, the SP told a press conference. In Kuwait, Nazeer, another brother of Jeelani, sold the victim to a brothel house, where she was confined for 10 days along with some other women, he stated. The victim managed to escape through a bathroom window of the brothel house and approached the police station and were jailed as they did not possess relevant documents, he said. Complaint lodged
The victim and another woman of Rayachoti and three women of West Godavari contacted the Indian Embassy and they were sent back to India, Mr. Bhagwat stated. The victim lodged a complaint and on its basis, Rayachoti Urban police registered a case under section 420 IPC, section 24 (1) AP Immigration Act, sections 3, 4 and 5 of Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act against Jeelani, Pasupuleti Veera Nagaiah, Mahaboob Basha of Rayachoty and Nazeer, resident of Kuwait, the SP said.
He appealed to people not to approach unauthorised agents. People aspiring to go abroad should obtain insurance from Pravasa Bharathi Bima Yojana. They could contact the Indian Embassy in Kuwait if they encountered problems