Hyderabad: 8 apprehended as police crack POCSO, human trafficking case

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 11 (ANI): The Tolichowki police have busted an inter-district human trafficking and prostitution racket with the arrest of eight individuals, including three women, for allegedly kidnapping a minor girl and forcing her into prostitution, officials said.
The accused have been identified as Shaik Atif, Sabiya Begum, Mohammed Hajimiya, Afreen alias Sana, Samreen Begum, Md Nadeem, Md Kaifuddin, and Ali Bin Akram.
Police have booked the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)—including rape and kidnapping—along with stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA).
According to a police statement on Saturday, the incident came to light after the minor victim managed to escape from a brothel in Attapur and lodged a formal complaint.
Detailing the case, Syed Fiaz, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said that on September 2, the primary accused, Shaik Atif, kidnapped the girl in his auto-rickshaw from Tolichowki and took her to Attapur. He then handed her over to Sana and Samreen, who allegedly lured the victim under the pretext of providing food and accommodation.
"The victim was subsequently handed over to Sabiya Begum, who operated a brothel near Pillar Number 200 in Attapur, in exchange for Rs 30,000. The money was shared among Atif, Sana, and Samreen," police said.
Investigators stated that Sabiya Begum forcefully pushed the victim into prostitution. When the minor pleaded to be freed, she was informed that she had been bought for money and was forced to entertain clients. Three other accused—Nadeem, Kaifuddin, and Ali Bin Akram—allegedly acted as facilitators, managing clients at the brothel.
On October 5, the girl managed to flee the brothel, reached home, and informed her family members, who approached the Tolichowki police.
Following a swift operation overseen by DCP Golconda Zone J Raghavendar Reddy and ACP Tolichowki Division Syed Fiaz, a team led by Station House Officer L Ramesh Naik tracked down and apprehended all eight accused within 24 hours on October 9.
Police seized six mobile phones and the auto-rickshaw used in the kidnapping. All the accused are being produced before a local court as further investigation is underway. (ANI)