Seven persons, including five women, have been arrested for allegedly luring "gullible" women in Karnataka into prostitution by promising them jobs in the national capital.
Police said today the gang operating from Delhi and Bangalore was smashed after a victim, who was raped in Delhi allegedly by one of the accused, managed to escape from their clutches and approached the cops.
Three of them were apprehended from Delhi while four were picked up from Bangalore, Ravindra Singh Yadav, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), said.
Of the seven arrested, Zakir and Geeta are a couple while Sakina and Gulsanam are sisters. The other arrested are Reshma, Saina, and Laxmipathy.
"The gang targeted gullible women and transported them from Bangalore on the pretext of providing livelihood in Delhi and then sold them to their members in Delhi for indulging in flesh trade. One woman was rescued," Yadav said.
The rescued victim was brought to Delhi in January and before being pushed into the illegal trade, she was raped allegedly by Zakir. However, the victim managed to run away and reported the matter to police, he said.
"Sakina is allegedly in flesh trade business in Delhi and used to travel to Bangalore quite often. Gulsanam was in Delhi and was allegedly involved in the illegal activities from a 'beauty parlor' in Mayur Vihar," Yadav said.
He claimed that it was Shahina who used to bring the trafficked woman to Delhi and hand them over to Gulsanam in exchange for money. Gulsanam used to transfer the trafficked women to Zakir and Geeta who used to push these women in flesh trade.
