The Arunachal Pradesh Police have arrested 21 people, including government officers, for their alleged involvement in an inter-state prostitution racket, and rescued five minors in the age group of 10-15 years, officials said on Wednesday.
The arrested government officers include a deputy superintendent of police and a deputy director of health services, they said. The minors were being trafficked to the state from Dhemaji in neighbouring Assam by two women (sisters) who run a beauty parlour in Itanagar, Capital Superintendent of Police (SP) Rohit Rajbir Singh said.
Based on inputs that a prostitution ring involving minor girls is active at Chimpu, near here, the capital police team conducted a raid at the alleged brothel cum residence of two women on May 4 and rescued two minor girls.
The minor girls revealed that they had been brought to Itanagar from Dhemaji, by two sisters, the SP said. After being trafficked to Itanagar they were forced into prostitution by the sisters along with the two other ladies, the SP said.
The child welfare committee (CWC) was informed and based-on the complaint of the minor girls, a case was registered at the Itanagar women police station and an investigation was initiated.
Consequently, it was learned that two more minor girls trafficked from Dhemaji were in the custody of a woman and were later rescued.
All the women were arrested and they are currently in police custody, while the rescued minor girls are at shelter homes where they are receiving further medical and mental health care, he said.
Police during investigation, arrested six more accused persons, including three pimps and three sexual assailants and recovered one more minor girl from a lodge at Zoo Road at Chimpu, near here on May 11 last, the SP said.
The police team also learned that the accused persons have also trafficked one more minor girl, and the said girl is also a victim child sex trafficking ring. Accordingly, a raid was conducted at a hotel following which the accused persons were arrested.
As many as 10 people involved in the prostitution racket have been arrested, while 11 customers, including five government officers, were arrested, Mr Singh added.