The main focus of EMPOWER PEOPLE lies on awareness raising and sensitization trainings for law enforcement agencies. The organization is also offering direct victim support and assistance to women vulnerable to human trafficking and domestic violence."We suspect that the three victim girls are minor in age as they refused to undergo an ossification test when taken to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC). We will now write to the sub-divisional magistrate of Panaji to issue an order asking them to undergo an ossification test," said police sources.
If the girls are found to be minors, then the traffickers will also be booked under the Goa Children's Act. Incidentally, the punishment for offences by traffickers under this Act is more stringent than that under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.
Police sources also said that one of the girls was supplied to a starred hotel in the capital a night before they were rescued. "We have information that one of the victims was forcibly sent to a hotel for prostitution. We are now trying to verify the same," said sources.
Meanwhile, one more person, Sawan Patil, was arrested on Tuesday by the Panaji police. Patil, who hails from Sattara in Maharashtra, had trafficked one of the victim girls to Goa and supplied her to a customer in a starred hotel. He later handed her over to the two accused who were subsequently arrested by the Panaji police on Saturday. Patil had allegedly arrived in Goa to the girl back and to seek payment for the services offered by her. He was intercepted by the police when he was trying to leave the state.
It may be recalled that on Saturday night, Amjad Khan and Manoj Kumar arrived with the three victims at a location in the heart of the capital. When they reached the area, a police team intercepted them and arrested the two traffickers. While Amjad is from Bhopal, Manoj is from Delhi, both currently reside at Benaulim. They have been booked under Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.
Police said that the duo were in Goa for a considerable amount of time and that their job was to supply girls to tourists in the state. "They are not involved in any other work. They have been assigned by a person called Javed to supply girls to customers," said police sources.
A police team led by PI Sandesh Chodankar laid a trap, and through a decoy customer, contacted Javed, who then arranged for three girls to be transported to the location. Police are trying to trace Javed, who claimed to be out of station and presently untraceable.
Investigations have revealed that the girls were brought to Goa from Mumbai about three days back and were to stay in the state for a fortnight.
The Times of India
Posted in: Goa beauty parlour case
