On May 8, the Social Security Wing (SSB) of the City Police’s Crime Branch uncovered a prostitution ring at OYO Hotel Yes-24 in Balaji Nagar, Hingna Road, MIDC area. They rescued five girls coerced into the sex trade by pimps and apprehended five men involved in running the operation.
The accused have been identified as Yash Deepak Bagalode (20), Shubham Balwant Malkhede (22), both residents of Bhatipura, Kajargaon, talu- ka Chandur Bazar, district Amravati; Sanket Vishnu Titarmare (25), a resident of Plot No 55, Police Nagar, Hingna Road; Manoj Arun Khandare (36), a resident of Indira Mata Nagar, and Madhukar Sagar Bijwe (31), a resident of Hirapur, Achalpur, district Amravati.
Two others Rahul and Manoj Agrawal alias Gagan Thakur are absconding.
Acting on a tip off, SSB officers sent a decoy customer to the hotel. After he confirmed that a sex racket was being operated by the accused, a team of SSB raided the hotel and arrested five accused.
Cops rescued two girls from Uttar Pradesh, two from West Bengal and one from Delhi.
Cops seized six cellphones, some cash and other material collectively worth Rs 1,01,620 from the accused.
A case under Sections 370, 34 of the Indian Penal Code, read with Sections 4, 57 of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act, has been reg- istered against all the accused persons at MIDC Police Station.
The raid was conducted by PI Kavita Isarkar and constabulary staff under the supervision of senior Crime Branch officials.