CHENNAI: A woman aged 24 has been arrested for allegedly forcing two minor girls into prostitution in the suburbs of North Chennai. When police rescued the girls, one of them, aged 17, was found to be seven-months pregnant.
Police said the main accused was one Indu, 24. She had allegedly befriended the girl in 2017, then aged 15, when she was standing at a bus stop in the city and crying. The victim’s mother had died and her father was believed to have abandoned her. Taking advantage of her situation, Indu offered to help her find a job.
“The accused brought the victim to her house and later forced her into prostitution.
The girl is seven months pregnant. Most men who visit the place have criminal cases, including chain snatching and robbery cases. Six months ago, a chain-snatching suspect from the same locality, had promised another 15-year-old girl that he would marry her. He allegedly kidnapped and brought the minor girl to Indu. The victim took refuge in Indu’s house and was later forced into trafficking,” said a police officer.
Police got information from a robbery suspect they arrested recently. A team raided Indu’s house on Monday and rescued the two minor girls, besides a few women.
Police said Indu accommodated all the women in her house and sent them to hotels and other houses to meet clients. A few other women escaped. A hunt is on for the suspects who raped the minors, police said.