Two PU students rescued from prostitution, racket busted

Mangaluru: The city police have rescued two students who are studying in a PU college, and arrested three people, on the charges of running an organised prostitution racket at an apartment in Mangaluru South police station limits on Thursday. The arrested accused are Shameena, Siddiq and Ayeshamma.
Based on a complaint filed by a 17-year-old, a joint operation was conducted under the direction of city police commissioner N Shashi Kumar and DCP (law and order) Hariram Shankar, by the personnel of the women’s police station, child welfare committee, head of a PU college, women and child development department and Childline.
Shashi Kumar told the media that a preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were operating a prostitution racket from a penthouse located on the fifth floor of an apartment building in Nandigudda. A Kerala-based woman was supplying clients with women, and other than the two minors, there were two women aged above 18, who were forced into prostitution. The police are investigating to find out if more students are involved, he said.
The police commissioner said that the accused would identify students who have problems, convince them that they have a solution, and then force them into prostitution. CCTV cameras were placed around the house, and the accused have reportedly threatened and blackmailed the victims, with the pictures of them going to the room. The victims were forced to cooperate with clients. There is a possibility of the clients too being blackmailed by the accused, and the police are looking into it. A case has been booked under various provisions of the Pocso Act and Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.
“An elaborate investigation will be launched and CCB Inspector Mahesh Prasad will be the investigating officer, and DCP (law and order) Hariram Shankar will monitor the case on a daily basis. The minors have been sent for counselling, and their statements are being recorded,” Shashi Kumar said.
Deekshith Achrappady, centre coordinator, Childline, said that the case was detected after monitoring the situation for the past four days, and that they were tipped off by the head of a PU college.