Kolkata: Mother among four held for forcing minor into sex trade

KOLKATA: Officers of the antihuman trafficking unit of the Kolkata Police rescued two minor girls from a private residence in Kasba, one of whom was forced into prostitution by her own mother.

Four people, including the girl’s mother, were arrested. They have been sent to police custody till March 11.

According to officers of the unit, the accused would use modern messaging applications to connect with customers and share pictures of the victims before meeting the clients at “private residences”.

The accused have been booked for criminal conspiracy in regard to the procurement, trafficking and selling of minors into prostitution. The cops have also added sections 4, 7 and 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) for penetrative and sexual assault and failure to report a crime. The rescued girls, both of whom are school students, have been sent to a shelter and will be produced before the child welfare committee later this week.

“The police had prayed for their custody, which was granted. If the charges are proved, they may be handed life imprisonment,” said Madhabi Ghosh, special public prosecutor, Pocso, who is handling the case. She confirmed that cases involving close relatives forcing girls into prostitution were on the rise.

A senior police officer said homes in upmarket localities were being used for engaging minors in sexual activities to dodge cops. “This is done so that the police do not suspect anything,” said the officer.

Due to strict vigilance by police and NGOs in brothels, the engagement of minors has dropped below one percent in the past few years. But there has been an increase of engaging minors for prostitution in private networks with the help of messaging services and networking sites.

Saji Philip, director of operations of International Justice Mission, which works with state governments and the central government to abolish bonded labour and stop sex trafficking of minors and assisted the cops in the Kasba operation, said: “The sex trafficking of minors is changing from location-based prostitution to sexual exploitation through private networks.”