Girl, woman rescued, five held in trafficking case in Kolkata hotel

Kolkata, Nov 3 (PTI) Kolkata Police has rescued a 15-year-old girl and a 24-year-old woman and arrested five persons following a raid at a hotel in the northeastern part of the city, an officer said on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, a team from Ultadanga police station conducted a raid at Hotel Majestic Inn on Gurudas Dutta Garden Lane on October 30 and rescued a 15-year-old girl and a 24-year-old woman, a senior officer said.

Four of the accused — Subhrajyoti Biswas (44) of Kushmandi in Uttar Dinajpur, alleged to be the brothel keeper; Himangshu Singh (28) of Bihar’s Siwan district, the alleged manager; and Arun Patra (32) and Laltu Ghatan (25), both from Egra in Purba Medinipur — were arrested from the spot, he said.

An inventory of immovable property found at the hotel was prepared during the raid, though the property itself was not seized, the officer said, adding that the hotel was subsequently sealed and its keys taken into police custody for investigation purposes.

A case at the Ultadanga police station has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as that of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, the officer added.

The case was later transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU/DD) for further investigation, the officer added.

Medical examinations of both rescued victims have been completed. The adult woman was sent to her home, while the girl has been kept at the CINI Asha shelter home and will be produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the officer added. PTI SCH MNB