Landlords escape Sex racket busts

Landlords escape Sex racket busts
Deccan Chronicle, 13th Jan 2011.

AMY ROSE THOMAS
DECCAN CHRONICLE

When a sex racket is busted by the police, it is only the prostitutes, pimps and customers who are booked, while the owners of the premises are usually let off. This is regardless of the fact that Section 18 Clause 1 of the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act states that landlords too should be punished.As many as 160 cases have been registered under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act over the last four years and in most cases, house owners have claimed that they had no clue what was going on in their premises and have escaped punishment.A few months back the police raided different parts of the city including flats in S.R. Nagar, Panjagutta, Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. About 20 apartments were found to be functioning as brothels.
However, only in three cases were the house owners convicted and notices of seizure issued.
The owners were let off in all the other cases. "In these cases, it was proved that the owners were explicitly involved in the crime," says IPS Umapathy.
Recently the police had raided the Delhi Lodge at Patny Centre and caught the proprietor, six auto drivers and had rescued 16 sex workers. B.Srinivasa Yadav (46), had been running the lodge on lease. Since the lodge's income was meagre, he had devised a plan to earn money. He used to allow sex workers along with their customers to use his premises and would charge hefty amounts on an hourly basis, said the police. On Thursday, the Central Zone Task Force police arrested Atluri Ramesh and Atluri Prasad, along with two sex workers. The accused had rented a flat at Saifabad for Rs 17,000 per month. The duo started earning Rs 5,000 to 10,000 per day. In none of the above cases were the house owners punished.
The apartments are, however, rented out for prostitution at double the price "The prices vary.
For instance, house owners in Ameerpet charge up to Rs 20,000 from brothel organisers and only around Rs 7,000 from normal tenants. In most cases, police officials fail to mention the owners in the FIR. Thus, they are not brought under the law. If the police officials pay heed to the Act, landlords, if at all they are unaware, would be more careful and make sure that such activities do not occur under the roof of their apartments," said Rammohan, in-charge of HELP NGO.
Mahesh Bhagwat, DIG of Eluru Range, who has been instrumental in nailing many landlords who were hand-in-glove with brothel organisers, says the main problem lies in the lack of awareness of rules. "Sometimes, the police officials themselves do not know about the existence of such a clause in the Act. This is the reason why landlords are not mentioned in the report," he adds.

Hertfordshire man jailed for raping girl in Goa

Hertfordshire man jailed for raping girl in Goa
Barry McCloud Barry McCloud plied the girl with spiked drinks to carry out the attacks

A Hertfordshire man who travelled to India to film himself raping a 10-year-old girl has been sentenced to life in prison.

Barry McCloud, 54, of Tudor Walk, Watford, groomed his victim after befriending her "slum-dwelling" family, St Albans Crown Court heard.

He admitted three rapes and 18 related charges in Goa between 2005 and 2007.

Judge Marie Catterson said McCloud's crimes were "abhorrent". She said he must serve at least seven years.

The court heard the girl had felt unable to report what was happening because McCloud paid for her brother's education.

McCloud and his wife had met the victim's brother while he was selling peanuts at a beach resort in the 1990s.

The child's father was dead and the mother had raised nine children by selling pots and pans.
Drugged mango juice

McCloud's activities came to light in 2007 when police in the UK suspected him of downloading images of child abuse and seized his computer.

Officers found images of the rapes as well as video clips McCloud had taken on a camcorder as he raped and abused the girl, described in court as a "slum dweller".

McCloud continued to visit Goa after splitting up with his wife in 2005, and would tell the girl's brother to bring his sister to his accommodation.

The court heard McCloud gave her mango juiced laced with temazepam, which would leave her unconscious.

Judge Catterson said: "It's clear the victim felt unable to complain about you because of the financial support you were giving her brother."
'Extremely rare'

McCloud also admitted four counts of assault, three of administering a noxious substance so he could engage in sexual activity, and one of sexual assault of a child.

He pleaded guilty to eight charges of taking indecent photographs of the child and two charges relating to the making and possessing of indecent photographs of children.

Christine Beddoe, director of ECPAT UK, a child rights charity which supported the police investigation, said: "Unfortunately the UK has an appalling record in prosecuting British citizens for child sexual abuse overseas and successful cases like this are extremely rare.

"ECPAT UK is calling on the government to introduce a cross-government strategy to deal effectively with sex offenders who abuse children overseas to better protect children in the UK and abroad."

Tamsyn Wilcox, CPS district crown prosecutor, said: "Barry McCloud abused the trust of a family living in extreme poverty in Goa and used his position of trust to gain access to the victim in this case.

"This outcome sends a strong message to those people who think they can sexually abuse children whilst travelling abroad, without facing prosecution."

Trafficking by cheating victims in the name of marriage

विवाहानंतर त्याने विकले ६० पत्नींना..!


सिलिगुडी - पश्चिम बंगालमधील दार्जिलिंग जिल्ह्यात, एका व्यक्तीने चक्क ६० विवाह केले आणि विवाहानंतर थोड्याच काळात तो पत्नीला कुंटणखान्यात विकून टाकत होता. लष्करातील जवान असल्याची बतावणी करून त्याने हे विवाह केले होते. पोलिसांनी त्याला अटक केली आहे.
दार्जिलिंग जिल्ह्याचे पोलिस अधिक्षक देवेंद्रप्रताप सिंह म्हणाले, की विकी ऊर्फ विश्वकर्मा असे या तरुणाचे नाव असून, त्याने विवाहानंतर मुंबई आणि पुण्यातील कुंटणखान्यांमध्ये स्वतःच्या पत्नीची विक्री करत असे. विश्वकर्मा याच्यासह त्याची साथीदार महिलेलाही अटक करण्यात आली आहे.
एका स्वयंसेवी संस्थेतील व्यक्तीने पोलिसांना विश्वकर्मा याची माहिती दिल्यानंतर, पोलिसांनी ही कारवाई केली. सिंह म्हणाले, की त्याची साथीदार महिला, गरीब आणि गरजू महिलेस हेरून तिच्या घरी जात असे आणि विश्वकर्मा हा चांगल्या घराण्यातील तरुण आहे. त्याची सांपत्तिक स्थितीही चांगली आहे. त्याच्याशी विवाह केल्यास कल्याण होईल, अशी बतावणी करत असे. विवाहानंतर तो मुंबई-पुण्याला जाऊन पत्नीला विकून येत असे.

‘लैंगिक व्यापाराला प्रतिबंधासाठी सकारात्मकता दाखवा’

आंध्रचे उपमहानिरीक्षक भागवत यांचे नगरच्या पोलिसांना आवाहन
नगर, २१ नोव्हेंबर/प्रतिनिधी
लैंगिक व्यापारासाठी अल्पवयीन मुलींचा वापर ही मानवी जीवनाला काळे फासणारी घटना आहे. अशा कृत्यांना कधीही पाठिशी घालू नये. थोडी सकारात्मकता दाखवली, तर अशा गुन्ह्य़ांचा शोध घेणे व गुन्हेगारांना शिक्षा होणे हे पोलिसांसाठी सहज शक्य आहे, असे प्रतिपादन मूळचे पाथर्डीचे रहिवासी व सध्या आंध्र प्रदेशात पोलीस उपमहानिरीक्षक म्हणून कार्यरत असलेले आयपीएस अधिकारी महेश भागवत यांनी केले.नक्षलवादी कारवायांमध्ये असामान्य शौर्य दाखवलेले, तसेच लैंगिक व्यापारात गुंतलेल्या आंध्र प्रदेशातील टोळ्यांना जेरबंद करणारे भागवत खासगी कामासाठी पाथर्डीला आले होते. जिल्हाधिकारी डॉ. पी. अन्बलगन यांनी जिल्ह्य़ातील पोलीस अधिकाऱ्यांसाठी नियोजन भवन सभागृहात त्यांचे व्याख्यान आयोजित केले होते. जिल्हा पोलीस अधीक्षक कृष्णप्रकाश, अतिरिक्त जिल्हाधिकारी नानासाहेब बोठे, जिल्हा नियोजन अधिकारी प्रदीप पोतदार, उपजिल्हाधिकारी सुहास मापारी या वेळी व्यासपीठावर उपस्थित होते. भागवत यांनी आंध्र प्रदेशात केलेल्या विविध कारवायांची विस्ताराने माहिती देत पोलिसांना अन्यायग्रस्तांसाठी नेहमीच धावून जाण्याचे आवाहन केले. कायदे सगळे चांगलेच आहेत, मात्र त्याचा व्यवस्थित वापर करून घेण्यात आपणच कमी पडतो, असे आपले निरीक्षण असल्याचे ते म्हणाले. काही कारवायांमध्ये, विशेषत: अंमली पदार्थ किंवा लैंगिक शोषणाच्या गुन्ह्य़ांमध्ये तपास सुरू असतानाच प्रेशर ग्रुप म्हणजे दबाव गट तयार होतात हे खरे आहे. मात्र, त्याला बळी पडण्याचे कारण नाही. थेट वरिष्ठ अधिकाऱ्यांशी बोलून या दबाव गटांचा सामना करता येतो, असे ते म्हणाले.कायद्याने पोलीस, तसेच महसूल अधिकाऱ्यांना अनेक अधिकार दिले आहेत. कला केंद्र, तसेच लॉजवर अल्पवयीन मुलींकडून जबरदस्तीने वेश्याव्यवसाय करून घेतला जात आहे, असे आढळल्यास संबंधित लॉज, कला केद्रांचा परवाना कायमस्वरूपी रद्द करण्याचे अधिकार प्रांत स्तरावर आहेत. मात्र, पोलिसांनी तसा प्रस्ताव तयार करून प्रांत कार्यालयाकडे पाठवला पाहिजे. नेमक्या याच गोष्टी होत नाहीत व एकाच लॉजवर वारंवार छापा टाकल्याच्या बातम्या येत राहतात. पोलीस व प्रशासनाने काही गोष्टी हातात हात घालून समन्वयाने केल्या तर गुन्हेगारीला आळा घालणे मुळीच अवघड नाही, असे भागवत यांनी सांगितले.लैंगिक व्यापारात गुंतलेल्या गुन्हेगारांवर कारवाई झाली, तरी त्यातील अत्याचारित मुलींच्या पुनर्वसनाचा मोठा प्रश्न निर्माण होतो. ते काही आमचे काम नाही, असे न म्हणता पोलीसही त्यात सहभागी झाले तर फार मोठा परिणाम होतो, अत्याचारग्रस्तांना मानसिक उभारी मिळते, असे स्पष्ट करून भागवत यांनी त्यांना आंध्र प्रदेशात केलेल्या कामांची माहिती दिली. परदेशातील, तसेच परराज्यांतील मुलींना यशस्वीपणे त्यांच्या मूळच्या घरी पाठवून त्यांचे पुनर्वसन केलेली अनेक उदाहरणे त्यांनी दिली. या कामासाठी भागवत यांना राष्ट्रीय, तसेच आंतरराष्ट्रीय पुरस्कारही मिळाले आहेत.लैंगिक अत्याचार विरोधी कायद्यातील अनेक कलमांची भागवत यांनी माहिती दिली व त्याचा प्रभावीपणे कसा वापर करता येतो तेही स्पष्ट केले. आपल्या विविध कामांच्या चित्रपारदर्शिकाही त्यांनी दाखवल्या. गुन्हेगाराला कडक शिक्षा होईल याच आत्मविश्वासाने पोलिसांनी काम करावे. तसे होत नाही व त्यामुळेच आमचे काही बिघडत नाही असा उद्दामपणा गुन्हेगारांमध्ये येतो. शिक्षेची जरब बसली, तर मात्र गुन्हा करताना त्यांना शंभरवेळा विचार करावा लागेल, असे भागवत म्हणाले. काही पोलीस अधिकाऱ्यांच्या शंकांनाही त्यांनी उत्तरे दिली.कृष्णप्रकाश यांनी भागवत यांच्या कामाची मुक्तकंठाने स्तुती करीत जिल्ह्यातील अधिकाऱ्यांनी त्यातून प्रेरणा घ्यावी, असे आवाहन केले. जिल्ह्य़ात गेल्या काही महिन्यांत कारवाई केलेल्या अशा प्रकारच्या गुन्ह्य़ांची त्यांनी माहिती दिली. कायद्याचा व्यवस्थित वापर हेच पोलिसांच्या कामाचे मुख्य सूत्र आहे, असे ते म्हणाले. डॉ. अन्बलगन म्हणाले, जिल्ह्य़ातून अनेक राज्यांच्या मालमोटारींची ये-जा सातत्याने सुरू असते. १० ते १२ माणसे बसू शकतील अशा ढाब्यांवर रोज ५०पेक्षा अधिक मालमोटारी लागलेल्या असतात. लहानसेच गाव असते, मात्र तिथे एकापेक्षा अधिक लॉज असतात. ही गुन्हेगारीची केंद्र असताना त्याकडे पोलिसांचे हवे तसे लक्ष नसते. अतिरिक्त जिल्हाधिकारी बोठे यांनी आभार मानले.
अत्याचारग्रस्तांसाठी विशेष कक्ष - डॉ. अन्बलगनआपण आल्यापासून एकाही कलाकेंद्राला परवानगी दिली नसल्याचे डॉ. अन्बलगन यांनी सांगितले. एका प्रकरणात आपल्याला संबंधितांनी समुद्रगुप्तापासूनच्या इतिहासाचा हवाला देत परवानगी द्या म्हणून दबाव आणला होता, अशी माहिती देत आपण परवानगी तर नाकारलीच, पण त्याला चंद्रगुप्त मौर्यापासूनच्या इतिहासाचीही माहिती दिली, असे ते म्हणाले. जिल्ह्य़ात लवकरच अशा प्रकारच्या अत्याचारात सापडलेल्यांसाठी एक विशेष स्वरूपाचा कक्ष सुरू करीत आहोत. त्यासाठी स्नेहालयसारख्या प्रकल्पांची मदत घेतली जाईल, असे त्यांनी जाहीर केले.

Closure of brothel at Bhusaval in Maharashtra

वैतागवाडीत होणार पिटाअंतर्गत कारवाई सकाळ वृत्तसेवा Friday, October 29, 2010 AT 04:58 PM (IST) भुसावळ - येथील वैतगवाडीत अनैतिक व्यापार प्रतिबंधात्मक कायद्यानुसार उद्या (ता.30) कारवाईची शक्‍यता आहे. यासंदर्भात जिल्हाधिकारी कार्यालयामार्फत पोलिस प्रशासनाला सूचना देण्यात आल्या आहेत. त्यानुसार अनैतिक देहव्यापार चालणाऱ्या घरांना थेट सील ठोकण्यात येईल. पिटा अर्थात अनैतिक व्यापार प्रतिबंधात्मक कायद्यानुसार भुसावळात होणारी ही पहिलीच कारवाई आहे. आज जिल्हा प्रशासनाकडून बाजारपेठ पोलिसांना यासंदर्भात लेखी सूचना करण्यात आल्या. त्यानुसार पोलिसांनी वैतागवाडीतील पाच घरमालकांना नोटीस बजावली आहे

Proper Implementation of Women's Law sought

‘पुनर्वसन झाल्यास देहव्यापारातील महिलांचे भविष्य सुरक्षित बनेल’

नगर, २९ सप्टेंबर/प्रतिनिधीपुनर्वसन झाल्यास देहव्यापारातील शोषित महिलांचे भविष्य सुरक्षित बनू शके ल, असे मत जिल्हा पोलीस अधीक्षक कृष्णप्रकाश यांनी व्यक्त केले. स्नेहालयने आयोजित केलेल्या जिल्ह्य़ातील शरीरविक्रय करणाऱ्या महिलांच्या मेळाव्यात ते बोलत होते.
गेल्या काही महिन्यांत जिल्ह्य़ातील अनेक कुंटणखान्यांवर पोलिसांनी घातलेल्या छाप्यांमुळे अनैतिक मानवी व्यापाराला मोठा आळा बसला आहे. मात्र, त्यामुळे देहव्यापारातील महिलांच्या चरितार्थाचा मोठा प्रश्न उभा राहिला आहे. या संदर्भात हा मेळावा घेण्यात आला. त्याचा समारोप कृष्णप्रकाश यांच्या उपस्थितीत झाला. स्नेहालयचे विश्वस्त श्याम असावा, मिलिंद कुलकर्णी, मीनाताई िशदे या वेळी व्यासपीठावर उपस्थित होते.  महिलांनी आपल्या समस्या मांडल्या. पुनर्वसनासाठी आंध्रप्रदेशात हक्काची जागा आणि रोजगार प्रशासनाकडून दिला जातो. महाराष्ट्रात मात्र सरकारने एक चौरस फूट जागा किंवा एक रुपयाचे अनुदानही दिलेले नाही, असे शेवगावच्या स्नेहज्योत प्रकल्पाच्या संघटक जया जोगदंड म्हणाल्या. श्रीरामपूर येथील सुनीता उनवणे म्हणाल्या, पुनर्वसनाचा कोणताही पर्याय समोर नसल्याने पोलीस कारवाई होताच महिलांना घरे-दारे सोडून परजिल्ह्य़ात पळून जावे लागते. आम्ही गाव सोडावे की धंदा, हे पोलीस अधीक्षकांनी सांगावे. बहुतांशी महिला कर्जबाजारी झाल्या असून अनेकजणींना उपचार अर्धवट सोडावे लागले आहेत, असे नगरच्या सुमन त्रिभुवन यांनी सांगितले.
कृष्णप्रकाश म्हणाले, उपजिविकेसाठी स्वत:चे शरीर विकणे हा गुन्हा नसला, तरी कुंटणखाने चालवणे, तसेच दुसऱ्या महिलांची कमाई खाणे हे अनैतिक मानवी वाहतूक कायद्यानुसार गंभीर गुन्हे आहेत. विविध ‘अर्थ’पूर्ण कारणांमुळे आजवर या धंद्यातील खऱ्या गुन्हेगारांवर कारवाई होत नव्हती. ही कारवाई सुरूच राहिल. त्यामुळे या धंद्यातील महिलांनी धाडस करून पुनर्वसनाचा पर्याय स्वीकारावा. या संदर्भात स्नेहालयचा पुढाकार ऐतिहासिक महत्त्वाचा आहे.  पुनर्वसनासाठी शेती, दुग्ध व्यवसाय, हस्तकला या रोजगारक्षम उद्योगांसाठी सरकारने किमान ६७ हेक्टर पडीक जमीन संस्थेला द्यावी, असा ठराव महिलांनी केला. जागा मिळाल्यास पुनर्वसनाचा पथदर्शी प्रकल्प स्नेहालय उभारेल, असे स्नेहज्योतचे समन्वयक प्रवीण मुत्याल यांनी सांगितले.      

स्नेहालय पुनर्वसन प्रकल्पात मोफत जागा
पुनर्वसनासाठी स्नेहालयने ठोस पुढाकार घेतला आहे. ज्या महिला लालबत्ती भागातून स्नेहालय प्रकल्पात राहण्यासाठी येतील, त्यांना प्रत्येकी १ हजार चौरस फूट जागा संस्था पुनर्वसन संकुलात देईल. वीज, पाणी व रोजगाराचे साधन संस्था पुरवेल. भोजन, औषधोपचाराचा खर्चही केला जाईल. सलग ३ महिने राहणाऱ्या महिलांना ही जागा करार करून मोफत दिली जाईल, असे मिलिंद कुलकर्णी यांनी जाहीर केले. पहिल्या टप्प्यात ४० महिलांना त्यांच्या मुलाबाळांसह पुनर्वसित करण्याचा मानस आहे, असे संस्थेचे उपसंचालक अंबादास चव्हाण यांनी सांगितले. कृष्णप्रकाश यांच्या हस्ते मालन गोरे व मीना पाठक यांना २ भूखंड प्रदान करून प्रकल्पाला सुरुवातही करण्यात आली.

Woman from Nuzvid rescued in New Delhi Brothel on GB Road

Child trafficking still continues

THE HINDU
Date:25/09/2010

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Child trafficking still continues

Staff Reporter
BERHAMPUR: Trafficking of children, including girls, to the states outside Orissa from its Kandhamal district is continuing.
Timely intervention of police and social activists could save 41 of them from getting transported to states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. On Monday night 13 minor girls, 14 boys and two girls were rescued by a police patrol team in Gajalbadi area of Sorada block in Ganajm district. An agent was taking them to Berhampur railway station so that they could be transported to Tamil Nadu. All of them were from remote villages in Tumudibadh and Kotgarh areas of Kandhmal district.
The Childline in Berhampur received the information from sources that these children were to be transported via Berhampur railway station. So, with help of police plans were made to trace the children on their way to Berhampur.
According to project director of ‘Childline' in Berhampur, Sudhir Sabat, on Wednesday the police in Baliguda in Kandhamal district on a tip off prevented 12 girls from getting transported to Kerala.
It may be noted five girls from Daringbadi in Kandhamal district were rescued from Berhampur railway station in April by railway police while they were being transported outside Orissa. In January 12 minor girls from the same area in Kandhamal district were rescued in Andhra Pradesh while they were being transported to Tamil Nadu.
Transit point
Mr. Sabat said Berhampur was fast turning out to be a major transit point of child trafficking. Children from poor families in remote areas of Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts are being brought to the city to be sent outside the State. He demanded better coordination between police, social activists and railway authorities to check this trafficking.

Closure of srinivasa Lodge Ravulapalam under Immoral traffic Prevention act 1956

On the orders issued by Revenue Divisional Officer Smt. B. Lavanya Veni of Amlapuram sub division, on 14/09/2010, Sub Divisional Police officer Amlapuram Mr. gangadhar, CI Ravulapalam Mr. Muralikrishna & others has closed Srinivasa Lodge  using provision of Section 18 (1) of Immoral traffic Prevention act, 1956 for carrying out organized prostitution.

7 women rescued from prostitution racket; 3 pimps held

 Sun, Sep 5 11:05 PM

Chennai, Sep 5 (PTI) Seven women hailing from Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai, forced into prostitution after being promised a career in films, were rescued by police and three alleged pimps arrested here today. The women were allegedly cheated by three pimps saying they would be given an opportunity to act in movies. But they were forced into prostitution, police said. Acting on a tip-off, police rescued the women from lodges in Periamet area during a surprise raid, an official statement here said. Three alleged pimps -- Philip Thomas (50) and Joshi Joseph (36) of Mumbai and 35-year-old Sreenivasa Rao from Andhra Pradesh, who allegedly forced these women into prostitution were arrested and remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation was on, the statement said adding that the women were sent to a government home.

Kingpin in trafficking case sent to custody

THE HINDU
Date:21/08/2010

Andhra Pradesh - Rajahmundry
RAJAHMUNDRY: Abdul Hamid Omar Abba (50), the kingpin in girl trafficking to Dubai and who was deported to India on August 3 was sent to three days police custody by a Kakinada court. With his arrest the Eluru police hopes to crack down on agents involved in trafficking in the district and other southern States. The issue came to light when two sisters lodged a complaint with the Mandapeta police station of East Godavari about girl trafficking by two locals and others from Chennai, Vellore, according to the DIG, Eluru Range, Mahesh M. Bhagawat.

Cases booked against children's home organisers

THE HINDU
Date:19/08/2010
Andhra Pradesh

TIRUVURU: The police registered cases against two organisers of ‘Nee Rakshana', a private children's home, on Wednesday, following the intervention of local people who brought to light that the home was being run without authorisation.
The police booked cases under Sections 343 (wrongful confinement of children), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 363 (kidnapping) against L. Venkateswara Rao and R. Swaroopa Rani on the basis of a complaint lodged by a supervisor of ICDS. The three children, who were left in the home by the organisers who shifted other children to Hyderabad, were handed over to the Child Welfare Committee. The police said efforts were on to find out the remaining children and special teams were formed to trace the absconding organisers of the home.

THE HINDU
Date:17/08/2010
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Andhra Pradesh - Eluru
Piquant situation for victims of women trafficking

G. Nagaraja

ELURU: For more than half-a-dozen victims of women trafficking from East and West Godavari districts, reaching back home appears not as easy as their release from flesh trade, thanks to fake claims over their parenthood.

The victims are languishing in a rescue home in Chennai, eagerly waiting for a reunion with their families for over six months ever since their rescue from a brothel by the Chennai police. The fake claims allegedly raised by some traffickers over their parenthood, in a bid to get them back into flesh trade, reportedly makes it difficult for the court in Chennai trying their cases to find their biological parents and send them back home. The court had entrusted the responsibility to a Chennai-based NGO, Just Trust. The NGO, in turn, contacted M.M. Bhagawat, DIG of Police, Eluru range, for help in cross-checking the claims. Mr. Bhagawat said all seven victims were trafficked to Malaysia and Singapore for flesh trade from the twin Godavari districts.

One such victim was a woman from Annadevarapet under the Tallapudi police station. Her links with her parents were established by the district police basing on a complaint of ‘woman missing' reported in the Tallapudi police station on December 24, 2009. Expressing serious concern over the increasing incidence of women trafficking cases in the two districts, the DIG said a request was placed before the Collector for timely relief and early rehabilitation of the victims as such measures would wean them away from flesh trade

Sordid tale of slavery victim - National News

Sordid tBeaten, whipped and deprived of contact with the outside world, an Indian teenager has painfully recalled how she endured a year and a half of hell being forced to work as a prostitute in Dubai brothels.
The 18-year-old, who asked to remain anonymous, came to the UAE believing she was to be employed as a maid to support her family after her father died, told 7DAYS she thought she would die in one of the seedy sex dens.
“I was beaten regularly with a mobile chord and locked up inside flats. I was never allowed to speak to my family or go out. I was abused all the time. It was hell,” she said.
The teen had paid dhs5,000 to an agent in India who promised her a reputable job in the UAE.
“The agent looked like a good man. I trusted him blindly and gave him the money hoping that he would get me the job. Instead he handed over me to the agents who ran a sex racket. I was devastated.”
The young victim said she was met by two men and a woman at Dubai International Airport upon her arrival in the country and taken to a flat in Bur Dubai where around ten other young girls were also being held captive along with her cousin.
“I was put up at a place in Bur Dubai to start with but was later shifted to a flat near fish roundabout in Deira. It was a dingy flat with no ventilation. I was locked up there along with other prisoners,” she said.
“We were never allowed to go outside alone. Someone always used to accompany us and he would keep a close watch on what we were doing. “If we resisted their instructions they would abuse and beat us.
“It was so terribly harrowing.”
She was not allowed any contact with her family back in India during the 18 months she was trapped in the brothels and was deprived of food by her captors.
“Whenever I tried to contact my family they used to snatch away the phone. They would abuse and beat me up. None of my family knew what was happening. I felt like I was dying every day,” the girl added.
The teen was only freed from the hell-hole after a raid on one of the brothels by Dubai Police back in March. Her mother had been worried sick after having no contact with her daughter for a year and a half but the pair were finally reunited after she landed at Hyderabad airport earlier this year.
“I was so shocked to hear of what happened to her. We are really struggling to return to a normal way of life after this,” her mother said.
The young victim spoke of her trauma after Indian police arrested the alleged kingpin of the traffickers at Mumbai airport last Wednesday.
Mahesh Bhagawat, deputy inspector general of police for the Eluru range in Andhra Pradesh, said that the women being held by the traffickers were forced to entertain between ten and 15 customers a day. “They were harassed physically and forced into prostitution. The women were all aged 17 to 20 years old,” he said.
The young girl who hails from a remote village in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh is now trying to start her life afresh.
She has got a job at a shop in Hyderabad and is hoping she can forget what has happened and take care of her family.
“My only concern at the moment is to get my two younger sisters married and see them live happily,” she said.
“What happened to me should not happen to anyone else.”
RINGLEADER SNAREDThe alleged kingpin of the human trafficking ring has been arrested on suspicion of rape.
Abdul Hamid Omar Abba, 50, was detained by cops at Mumbai airport last week for allegedly assaulting the 18-year-old woman who he forced to work as a prostitute in Dubai.
Two other men involved in the sick trade have also been arrested in India.
Five further people are still being hunted by officers, including one woman, who was among those who met the teen at Dubai International Airport and transported her to the brothels.
Indian police said Abba used to live in Bur Dubai and worked as a taxi driver. He is thought to have worked with various agents to bring the women to Dubai to work in the sex trade.
“We are coordinating with the Indian embassy in the UAE to arrest the remaining culprits with the help of Dubai Police and bring them to India. This is a huge and serious racket which has been going on for years,” said Mahesh Bhagawat, deputy inspector general of police for the Eluru range in Andhra Pradesh.
Police say Abba would take dhs5,000 from women who believed they were paying a recruitment company to get a reputable job in the UAE.
He then produced fake birth certificates for the girls to show that they were 30 years old so that they could get visas to work as domestic help.STRIDES TAKEN TO TACKLE THE SORDID GANGSThe UAE has been working to bag traffickers who blight the streets of the Emirates.
The number of human trafficking cases taken to court in 2009 more than doubled from the previous year, according to the annual report from the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking in the UAE, which was released in May.
The report showed that 43 cases went before the courts in 2009, which involved 86 trafficking victims.
In those cases a total of 125 defendants were prosecuted, and 35 of the 43 cases ended in conviction.
Of those, 21 occurred in Dubai. Fifteen cases were recorded in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, and seven took place in Abu Dhabi.
In one of the most severe incidents, the Criminal Court in Abu Dhabi sentenced seven men to life in prison - the harshest penalty possible - for running the emirate’s largest known human-trafficking ring.
“For the majority of trafficked persons, it is only when they arrive in the UAE that they realise that the work they are promised does not exist and they are forced instead to get employment in jobs or conditions to which they did not give their consent,” the report said.
fareed.rahman@7days.ae ale of slavery victim - National News

Woman trafficker arrested at Mumbai, brought to Kakinada [14827]

Woman trafficker arrested at Mumbai, brought to Kakinada [14827]
Kakinada, Aug 5 : A special team of East Godavari police deputed by the SP Ghattamaneni Srinivas, has arrested the kingpin of woman trafficking racket Abdul Hamid Omar Abba (50), at Mumbai, and brought him to Kakinada, by flight today.
The team was sent following a communication received from the Mumbai airport immigration authorities on detaining the woman trafficker. He will be produced before the court at Mandapet tomorrow. He is wanted by the police in woman trafficking cases but escaping the police dragnet for the past few months. Two of his local sub agents were already arrested. The Bangalore, based Abba, has lured several young girls of lucrative employment at Dubai, but in reality sold them to gulf agents for landing them into flesh trade. The whole racket came to light only after a woman from Mandapet lodged a complaint after escaping from a brothel house in Dubai, during March this year.' police said.
--UNI

Five held on charge of trafficking in women

THE HINDU
5/08/2010

Staff Reporter

ELURU: A special team led by Kovvuru DSP G. Janaki Sharmila busted a five-member gang allegedly thriving on women trafficking and rescued four persons, including a minor girl. The victims hailed from Rajahmundry, Kovvuru, Tanuku and Vijayawada.
According to M.M. Bhagawath, DIG of Police, Eluru Range, a couple of financiers – Yesu and Muttaiah – based in Tanuku were also arrested on the charge of financing the illegal activity.
They allegedly lent money on interest to Grandhi Naresh, also from Tanuku, for carrying on the activity.
The DIG said that three cases of a similar nature were registered against Naresh in the past.
The police arrested the accused at Nidadavole railway station while they were allegedly transporting the victims to Bangalore and Rayachore.

At large
Another main accused Ravi of Bangalore was at large, the DIG said.

Kingpin in woman trafficking nabbed

Kingpin in woman trafficking nabbed


Kakinada
Wednesday, Aug 4 2010 IST
A special team of East Godavari Police left for Mumbai today following the receipt of communication from the airport authorities there on the detaining the prime accused in the women trafficking case pertaining to Mandapet registered during March this year. Police sources said the accused Bangalore-based Abdul Hamid Omar Abba, was running a racket luring young girls on the promise of providing employment in Gulf countries but actually engaged them in flesh trade there. ''He was operating the clandestine business through two of his agents at Mandapet for quite some time. ''The entire episode came to light when one of the girls, who languished in brothel houses in Dubai for two years, lodged a complaint with Mandapet Police on her return home after undergoing an ordeal.'' Based on her complaint, the police arrested two local agents on March 7 and also sent special team to Bangalore to arrest Abba. However Abba gave a slip to the Andhra Police and had been at large since then. The East Godavari Police declared him as a 'wanted' and communicated to the Immigration Authorities with a request to detain him, the sources added

10 more brothels being closed

THE HINDU
Date:25/07/2010
Andhra Pradesh - Eluru
Drive against trafficking of women

2 RDOs order closure of brothel houses

ELURU: Kovvuru and Eluru Revenue Divisional Officers—D.V. Ramana Reddy and V.R.K. Prabhakara Rao—on Saturday issued orders under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA) for closure of 10 brothel houses in their revenue divisions in their capacity as the Divisional Executive Magistrates. The dens were reportedly included a lodge and a beauty parlour in Tanuku.
The police approached the RDOs with a request to exercise their powers under the PITA as part of the on-going drive against the trafficking of women.
The RDOs directed the operators of the brothel houses to vacate the dens and free them of sex trade within a week.
The PITA was invoked by the RDOs after a series of raids on these dens by the police hardly had any impact on the sex trade. Kovvuru DSP G. Janaki Sharmila said the police had foisted 26 cases against traffickers, arrested 103 persons accused of indulging in sex trade and rescued 126 victims in her police sub division in the last one year

India is a World Hub in Human Trafficking - International - Catholic Online

India is a World Hub in Human Trafficking - International - Catholic Online