Minor pushed into flesh trade by kin, rescued

Nagpur: Ganespeth police on Friday, acting on a tip-off from an NGO about a 14-year-old girl forcibly indulged into flesh trade by none other than her cousin sister, rescued the minor. The survivor, a school dropout, was allegedly sold to a woman also.
An offence of illegal trafficking of children and exploitation of trafficked person has been registered at Ganeshpeth police station against the survivor’s cousin, Sonali Ramteke (24), and Priti Gajbhiye (32). The duo was also slapped with The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Gajbhiye was arrested and produced before a court but Ramteke was absconding, said cops.

The survivor’s statement would be recorded before The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for further probe.

PSI S R Gajbhare said the survivor’s father died due to illness few years back, leaving the survivor and her mother alone.

“Accused Ramteke, a resident of Hingna, knowing her background, lured the survivor to earn some easy money and later handed her over to another accused Priti Gajbhiye in exchange of money,” Gajbhare said.

The cop further said Gajbhiye, who didn’t have any past record, took a room on rent near Lodhipura School in Ganeshpeth where she brought the survivor and forced her to involve in flesh trade.