District police loathe to go after sex mafia

KOLKATA: Police officials from Haroa in North 24 Parganas have unearthed an organised flesh trade racket at Nehrauli in Navi Mumbai that is being fed with poverty-stricken girls from several parts of North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas and some parts of Howrah.
The recovery of Moyna, a 21-year-old girl, in the last week of June from a brothel at Nehrauli led to the unearthing of the racket.It was also discovered that a a few panchayat members and political bigwigs from the districts were involved in the murky trade.
Ill equipped and lacking local help, police officials from the police stations are, however, reluctant to pursue the investigations.
Haroa police station officer-in-charge Aloke Lodh informed how his scantily equipped sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors faced the goons of the sex mafia in Mumbai brothels armed with carbines.
Police officers posing as customers waited for three days in a brothel to rescue the girl. Lodh informed that Mumbai police higher ups shielded the accused.
“Not only people from this area are engaged in this trade. Our interrogations have revealed that a person called Siddiki of Amta in Howrah is the kingpin of the trade,� said the officer-in-charge.
Police personnel who went to Mumbai said the police there did not give them adequate cover though the police officials from North 24 Parganas disclosed their identity.
Police officials of Haroa and Habra who did not want to disclose their identities informed they did not proceed with the investigations since they did not have help at the ground level.
“People blame us for not pursing the case. But the fact is that we have to give money from our pocket to nab the criminal. These bills are disbursed after a minimum period of one and half years� said an officer of Habra police station. An officer- in-charge informed why they could not always adhere to regulations while travelling.
“If we follow the official procedyre, it will take at least four to six weeks to get a government railway warrant. In that time the accused generally goes out of reach,� the officer said.
“We are not provided with any modern weapon seven in such works. Why should we put our lives at stake when the higher ups are not even ready to provide us with these,’’ asked another officer.