Bhubaneswar: An inquiry into the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl has uncovered a sex ring in the Laxmisagar neighborhood of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha. The big break occurred when the police raided a suspected trafficking hub late on Friday night. They arrested four people and rescued numerous women.
The issue initially came to light when personnel at Capital Hospital called the police after a critically injured and half-conscious teenage girl was brought in without an adult. The medical evaluation showed evidence of sexual assault, therefore the police opened a complaint under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
CCTV clues reveal the group behind the attack
Police Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh said that Capital Hospital sent officers a medico-legal case (MLC) report on Friday at about 8 PM. The report said there was a “psychic disorder,” but it also said there was evidence of sexual assault.
“When we looked at the CCTV footage, we saw that one person dropped the girl off at the hospital and then ran away right after.” “We found out more about a sex ring that was operating within the limits of Laxmisagar Police Station, where the minor was being forced to do sexual work,” stated Commissioner Singh.
After following the lead, investigators were able to find the people connected to the girl’s case, which led them to a property in Laxmisagar that they think is the center of trafficking and exploitation.
Police Raid Finds Hub for Sex Trafficking
A group of officers from both the Capital and Laxmisagar police stations raided the place. Three women were saved during the operation, and four persons were detained for their alleged participation in trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The people who were arrested are:
Manju Sethi, 47, is married to Kasinath Sethi. She is from Balanga, Puri district, but now lives in Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar.
Mamata Sahu, 42, is the widow of Ramesh Chandra Sahu, who died. She is from Cuttack district and now lives in Baramunda.
Sanjib Kumar Das, 54, the owner of the property, is accused of helping the operation.
Abinash Muduli, 28, from the Nayagarh district, is accused of sexually abusing a young girl.
The police said that Sethi, Sahu, and Das were “living off the earnings of prostitution” and had been using the property as a base for their operations. Muduli was personally involved in the attack.
Rescue, rehabilitation, and more investigation
There are two independent cases: one is about the attack on the juvenile and the other is about human trafficking and prostitution.
Police and social workers are taking care of the ladies who were rescued. After counseling and rehabilitation, they will be able to see their family again.
Early investigations show that the home was used as a hub for recruiting and trafficking young women who were vulnerable, some of whom were brought in from other states.
“We think that a larger network is involved, not just in Bhubaneswar.” A senior police officer said, “We are looking into this further to find more people involved in this scam.”