Sex and the City: OSRTC bus depot turns prostitution hub after dark

BHUBANESWAR: Right behind the scenic Khandagiri-Dhauligiri hills, the OSRTC bus depot has turned into a haven for carnal pleasure. Step into one of the abandoned buses and you will see the passenger vehicles are crawling with used condoms.

Barely a kilometre from the local police station, the depot is where tourist buses operate from during the day. In the nights, it turns into a parlour for sex. Unscrupulous elements lurk in the shadows to bargain a deal with those soliciting customers.

Currently, there are about three buses which have been abandoned at the depot and all of them are used for a flourishing sex trade. So much so that locals find the area unsafe to use as it has become a den for criminal elements. Strangely enough, police patrol vehicles are seen parked around the corner sometimes but it is business as usual for those indulging in the trade.

Locals complain about rise in incidence of snatching of valuables, mobile phones, and other items from the commuters. “Currently, only tourist buses operate from the depot. In the evening, the area becomes completely deserted and anti-socials take advantage of it,” said a police source.  In past, a violent clash had broken out between locals and some unscrupulous elements at the same bus depot.

The locals had alleged that a group of people attempted to snatch valuables from a student. An officer of Khandagiri police station said they are aware of the situation and patrolling is conducted regularly, especially during late hours, to check the unlawful activities in the area.