6 held for running sex racket at Kala Kendra, 25 women rescued

Pune: The Solapur rural police late on Sunday night rescued 25 women after raiding a Kala Kendra, where tamasha is performed, and arrested six persons, including a woman, for allegedly running a flesh trade racket under its garb.A case against the accused has been registered at the Tembhurni police station.Acting on a tip-off, a team headed by Rahul Atram, assistant superintendent of police and a probationary IPS officer, conducted the raid. Atram, who is currently heading the Tembhurni police station, was accompanied by sub-inspector Sunil Sarde, assistant sub-inspector Vilas Randive, and other personnel. The team rescued the women, all aged between 18 and 30.The police arrested the Kala Kendra owner, its operator and manager, a woman agent, and an autorickshaw driver, all from Tembhurni. They also arrested the manager of a nearby lodge for allegedly providing rooms to men who hired the services of the women from the Kala Kendra.Police officials said further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the network and whether more individuals are involved.Atram said, "We received a tip-off that the owner, along with staff members of the Kala Kendra, was bringing in poor women from different parts of the state and forcing them into prostitution.""The police team sent a decoy customer to the Kala Kendra, following which the premises was raided," he said."It was a well-organised flesh trade racket," he added.