Mysuru: Police rescue minor, arrest two in underage prostitution case

Mysuru (Karnataka), Sep 29 (PTI) Police, in coordination with NGO Odanadi Seva Samsthe, on Monday said they have rescued a minor girl and arrested two accused allegedly involved in exploiting underage girls for prostitution.

Shobha, a Bengaluru resident, and her accomplice Tulsi Kumar were arrested on Saturday following a decoy operation in Mysuru organised with the NGO, police added.

The duo is accused of demanding Rs 20 lakh to arrange the sexual exploitation of a girl who had just reached puberty.

Police said preliminary investigations revealed the racket operated on a superstition that "intercourse with virgin girls could cure sexual illnesses and impotence", generating demand for such exploitation.

Investigators said the network targeted men with such beliefs and supplied them with menstruating minor girls.

Police said the NGO had received information that Shobha was approaching such men and showing a 12-13-year-old girl to potential clients over WhatsApp video, demanding payment in return.

Acting on the tip-off, the NGO alerted senior police officers, who, in coordination with the Child Welfare Committee and the Child Protection Unit, laid a trap.

On Sunday afternoon, at around 2 pm, Shobha arrived near the Government Girls’ Children’s Home in Vijayanagar 4th Phase with the girl, a class 6 student.

Police said Shobha demanded Rs 20 lakh for the girl’s "first sexual intercourse".

Officers moved in and arrested her.

Shobha initially claimed the girl was her daughter, then her brother’s daughter, and later her adopted child, before eventually admitting her role in prostitution. Kumar, who accompanied her, claimed to be her husband, police said.

The rescued girl has been placed under the care of the children’s home. The accused remain in police custody, and further investigation is underway to identify other members of the alleged trafficking network. PTI COR AMP SSK