Hyderabad: Cops seal four houses

Hyderabad: The police sealed four houses where the sex trade was being organised. Since July, the police has arrested 75 prostitution organisers and has rescued 40 women from the flesh trade. Commissioner Mahesh Bhagavat warned hotels running the sex business of action and cautioned house owners to check on their tenants.

The Rachakonda Special Operation Team conducted raids on houses in different locations. In Alkapuri, four persons including a house owner were arrested and four girls, including two from West Bengal and one each from Maharashtra and Karnataka, were rescued. In Dilsukhnagar, a house owner and a woman were arrested and three victims rescued. In Karmanghat, four people including the house owner, a woman organiser and two others were arrested and a victim from Bengal was rescued. Four traffickers belonging to Vizag and East Godavari districts were arrested and a woman was rescued.

Sometimes the owner may not be aware of illegal activity in his house. If a major victim is rescued the house will be sealed for a year and in case of minor victims the house will be sealed for three years,” Mr Bhagavat said.

Most of the rescued victims belong to Delhi, AP and Karnataka. Some belonged to Maharashtra and Bengal. The victims are eligible for a compensation of '1 lakh from the government.

He said some hotels had set aside rooms for sex business. “Soon we will raid hotels. If minor victims are caught the licensing authority has power to cancel the hotel license and if a major is caught the license will be suspended for three months,” the commissioner said, adding that proposals are underway to seal six more houses for running the sex trade.