CHENNAI: Three members of a family, including a woman and her sister, and three others were arrested for allegedly forcing a 14-year-old girl into sex work near Selaiyur in Chennai. The girl was rescued recently after her neighbour alerted the Child Welfare Committee and police.
The woman’s mother-in-law, and three men, including a temple priest, were among those arrested by police under Pocso Act and other sections for abusing the child.
A police source said the main accused was running prostitution syndicate in three places – one at her own house near Selaiyur and the other two at Chengalpattu and KK Nagarmanaged by her sister and mother-in-law. The girl’s mother had left the child with the woman and gone away a year ago after she got separated from her husband. Police said both the girl’s parents had started separate families. The girl, who was under the woman’s custody, was taken to all the three places and abused by men, the source said.
Police said the issue came to light when the girl shared her ordeal with a neighbour. The neighbour alerted the CWC in Chengalpattu and the Selaiyur police. The police came to the house and rescued the girl 10 days ago. The girl is currently under the care of the CWC at a government home.
“The woman, her sister, and mother-in-law have been sent to judicial remand. Three more men, who were ‘customers’, were arrested for abusing the child. The call records of the accused are being analysed,” sources said.
It can be recalled that in May, the Anti Vice Squad of Chennai police arrested a woman, K Nadhiya, for allegedly forcing two minors into prostitution. The two girls were her daughter’s classmates. Eight others were also arrested in the case.