Maharashtra: Prostitution racket busted in Thane, 2 arrested

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Police have arrested two persons for allegedly running the flesh trade from a massage parlour in Maharashtra's Thane district and rescued a woman and a minor girl from there, an official said on Friday.

Following inputs about a prostitution racket, the police sent a decoy customer to the massage and spa centre at Naya Nagar area of Mira Road, on the outskirts of Mumbai, on Wednesday, said the official.

After being alerted by the decoy, a police team raided the premises and rescued a woman and a minor girl, said Sameer Ahirrao of Mira-Bhayandar, Vasai-Virar police in Maharashtra.

Also Read: Woman running flesh trade racket held in Vikhroli, three including minor rescued

The cops also arrested the parlour manager Tousif Khan and a worker named Gopalkumar Mali who had struck a deal with the decoy, he said.

The woman and the girl have been sent to a rescue home, he said, adding that they are on the lookout for the massage parlour owner whose name was given as Heena Qureshi.

Meanwhile, in an another case, the Mumbai Crime Branch on Thursday rescued a minor girl and two women from flesh trade.

According to the police, the officials of the city crime branch had received a tip-off regarding an alleged prostitution racket being run in Vikhroli area. After receiving the information, a special team was formed that raided a place under the jurisdiction of Parksite Police in Vikhroli.

The police said that the raid was conducted on February 21 and a 45-year-old woman was initially detained in the matter. The woman was suspected to be running the alleged racket and using minors for the illegal business for her monetary gains.

A case under relevant sections of the IPC, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and Juvenile Justice Act was registered with the Parksite Police in the matter and further legal action is being taken, the police said.

(With PTI Inputs)