In a significant crackdown on human trafficking, police in Odisha's Jajpur district conducted a late-night raid on a rented house, leading to the arrest of two individuals and the rescue of four women allegedly forced into prostitution.
Late-Night Raid Leads to Arrests
Acting on specific intelligence, a police team carried out the operation on Thursday night. The raid targeted a residential property that was being used as a front for running a sex trade operation. Two persons, identified as Sumitra Mohanty (45) from Keonjhar and Manas Jena (29) from Jajpur, were taken into custody at the scene.
Four Women Rescued from Exploitation
The immediate outcome of the police action was the liberation of four women who were found inside the premises. Inspector Ashis Kumar Sahoo, who led the operation, confirmed that all four survivors were safely removed from the location. Following established protocol for such cases, the rescued women have been shifted to a government-run short-stay home where they will receive necessary care, counselling, and support.
Inspector Sahoo further revealed that preliminary investigations suggest the illicit activity had been ongoing from the rented house for a considerable period. "The raid revealed that sex trade was being run from the house for a long time," he stated, highlighting the organized nature of the crime.
Legal Action and Judicial Custody
The accused, Sumitra Mohanty and Manas Jena, have been charged under multiple sections of the stringent Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, specifically sections 3, 4, 5, and 7. These sections pertain to various offences including keeping a brothel, seducing or soliciting for prostitution, and procuring or detaining a person for prostitution.
After their arrest, the duo was produced before the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate on Friday. The court, after hearing the case, rejected their bail applications and ordered them to be remanded in judicial custody. This decision underscores the seriousness of the charges and allows for further investigation into the trafficking network.
This operation underscores the continued efforts by law enforcement agencies in Odisha to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation. It serves as a warning to those involved in such crimes while aiming to provide a path to rehabilitation for the victims.
