AHTU Busts Flesh Trade Rackets in Beed, Rescues Six Women

On Wednesday night, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Beed police conducted raids at two locations in the Beed Rural Police Station area, busting two alleged flesh trade rackets.

The operation resulted in the rescue of six women, while five persons were booked under the provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.

The AHTU team, led by Police Inspector Ashok Mudiraj, acted on a tip-off received on July 29 and laid a trap near Charata Cross Road on the outskirts of Beed city.

A decoy customer allegedly paid ₹1,000 and a deal for prostitution was struck, after which the police conducted a raid. A woman was taken into custody, and the two marked ₹500 currency notes handed over by the decoy customer were recovered from her.

One rescued woman was found at the spot and, during preliminary inquiry, allegedly disclosed that she had been brought there for prostitution. Police also seized six unused condoms from the location.

The team later raided a massage centre at Bahirwadi in Beed taluka on the Dhule–Solapur National Highway. Following a pre-arranged signal from the decoy customer, police raided the premises and found that ₹1,000 had allegedly been accepted for arranging prostitution.

The marked currency notes were recovered from the manager. During the search, police rescued five women, who were allegedly brought from different places, including West Bengal.

Seven male customers were also found at the premises. Police seized one four-wheeler, four two-wheelers, two Android mobile phones, 60 unused condoms, records of online financial transactions and cash, taking the total value of the seized property to ₹5.21 lakh.

Two separate FIRs have been registered at Beed Rural Police Station under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, and legal action has been initiated against the five accused.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Navneet Kanwat, Additional Superintendent of Police Sameer Shaikh and Assistant Superintendent of Police Venkataraman.

The raid was executed by Police Inspector Ashok Mudiraj, Assistant Police Inspector Janabai Sangale and the AHTU team.

The success of the operation is a significant step towards combating human trafficking in the region.

It highlights the importance of coordinated efforts between law enforcement agencies and the need for continued vigilance to prevent such crimes.

The rescue of six women and the booking of five persons under the Immoral Traffic Act demonstrate the commitment of the Beed police to protecting vulnerable individuals and upholding the law.

The operation also underscores the need for awareness and education to prevent human trafficking and support victims of such crimes.

In conclusion, the AHTU's operation in Beed is a notable achievement in the fight against human trafficking, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of collaborative efforts to combat this serious issue.