Jaipur: Rajasthan Police have busted an alleged prostitution racket operating under the guise of traditional settlements, known locally as deras, in the Bhawanimandi area of Jhalawar district, rescuing six minor girls aged between 12 and 17 and arresting five people, officials said on Saturday.

Source: IANS via The English Post

Those arrested include the mothers of some of the rescued girls and alleged middlemen. Police said the girls have been shifted to a government-run girls' shelter home for protection and rehabilitation, and no identifying details of any minor are being disclosed.

Superintendent of Police Amit Budhania said the investigation was launched after a confidential complaint was received on October 7. Preliminary findings, he said, indicated that families living in settlements in the Bhawanimandi area were allegedly forcing their minor daughters into prostitution under the cover of traditional customs. The allegations are under investigation.

Source: IANS via AsiaPost

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by probationary IPS officer Ayush Shrotriya carried out the operation. Reporting on the crackdown said more than 100 personnel took part in coordinated raids, and a further SIT has been tasked with tracing the wider network of brokers and customers allegedly involved.

Source: The Hindu reporting via Particle News

Police said medical examinations confirmed that five of the six girls had been subjected to repeated sexual exploitation and that two were found to be suffering from sexually transmitted infections. Forensic analysis detected male DNA in samples from the investigation, with reports in four cases confirming the presence of mixed male DNA, officials said.

A case has been registered under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and Sections 5/6, 11/12 and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police said the five accused were taken into custody for further interrogation and that the investigation is continuing to establish the full extent of the alleged racket and identify others who may have been involved.