Kalyan Police bust prostitution ring at hotel, rescue four women

Representational Image. File Pic

Police busted a flesh trade racket being operated from a hotel in Kalyan city of Thane district and arrested two women while four victims were rescued on Monday, an official informed, reported PTI.

The rescue operation was carried out by the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) of the Thane Crime Branch in Lal Chowkie area on Sunday.

A case was registered under sections 143(1) and 143(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for human trafficking, as well as provisions of the PITA Act.

The accused women had allegedly coerced the victims into prostitution for financial gain.

The rescued women have been sent to a shelter home for rehabilitation, while investigations are ongoing, an official informed, reported PTI.

Kalyan rape and murder: Police use all resources to nail suspects

Second accused was found within 24 hours and the main accused within 48 hours; both sent to police custody till January 4

Even detective Sherlock Holmes (a fictional private detective) would have found the case a bit challenging, as the accused was never really the one the parents of the victim had named as the main suspect. The case pertains to the rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl on the evening of December 23 in Kalyan.

The Kolsewadi police used both technical and human intelligence to nail down the real suspects and crack the case, first arresting a woman (believed to be the third wife of the key accused) within less than 24 hours and subsequently zeroing in on the main accused within 48 hours of the crime.

On Thursday, the actual accused - Vishal Gawli, 28, and Sakshi, 23 - were produced before the special POCSO court in Kalyan as their first remand came to an end. The court has extended the police remand of the accused until January 4.

Investigating officer Inspector Ganesh Nhayade and his team found crucial pieces of evidence, including bloodstains on the mat in the auto rickshaw (MH 0500 8261 - currently in police custody) that was allegedly used to transport the body of the minor girl to an isolated spot in Bapgaon, in Padgha police jurisdiction limit, where the body was dumped.

Police said that the evidence has been sent for forensic analysis to verify if the blood is of the victim. The police also recovered the shirt that the accused wore on the day of incident and also the CCTV footage of the accused from strategic points, including mobile tower locations.

Police said they have roped in the Kalyan fire brigade to search for the trolley bag which the accused confessed to having thrown it in a creek near Kalyan.

(With inputs from PTI)