Mumbai Crime: Mother held for forcing minor into sex trade

The Anti-Trafficking Cell of Palghar busted a prostitution racket on Wednesday night, arresting a 38-year-old woman for allegedly forcing her 14-year-old daughter into prostitution.

Cops are on the hunt for another accused in the case, who managed to escape.

According to sources, the cops raided Vinayak Lodge at Waliv Naka, Nalasopara East, on Wednesday and rescued the minor who was forced into prostitution by her mother and a waiter at the lodge.

"We had received tip-offs that minors are forced into prostitution at the lodge. Under the guidance of SP Sharda Raut, and with some help from the NGO Transforming Lives Foundation, we rescued the 14-year-old," said PRO Ranjeet Shirsath.

Modus operandi
Explaining their modus operandi, he added, "In order to bust this trafficking racket, we sent a fake customer to Vinayak Lodge. He struck a deal with the waiter for a minor girl for Rs 10,000."

The PRO further said, "On receiving a tip-off from this customer, our officer raided a room on the first floor of the hotel. While the waiter fled by jumping out of the window, we managed to arrest a woman."

The woman was the girl's mother, as police discovered during interrogation.

Shirsath informed that the minor has been sent to a correctional home, while the woman has been arrested under Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code, Section 4, 5 of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.