THANJAVUR: Five persons, including a woman, were arrested for forcing a 20-year-old woman from West Bengal into prostitution. The woman reportedly told police that she was sent to Thanjavur by her relatives to work as a domestic help in Melavasthachavady area.
However, there she had been tortured and forced into prostitution. When she had resisted and wanted to get back to her mother in Bengaluru, she was beaten up, forced into a car, and pushed on the roadside in Sengipatti. On June 1, she was rescued by the cadre of AIDWA (All India Democratic Women’s Association) in a semi-conscious state and admitted to Thanjavur Hospital. Based on her complaint, the Vallam All Women Police registered a case against four accused under various sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) and Immoral Traffic (prevention) Act. The accused were identified as A Senthilkumar (49), V Rajam (49) of Melavasthachavady, the prime accused, and their associates C Prabakaran (64), K Ramachandran (40) of Thandankorai and R Palanivel (51) of Gandarvakkottai in Pudukkottai district.
The police also recovered four cars and three two-wheelers. Police said that the gang used to rent houses in various localities in the city and suburbs saying they were into private finance business and used the houses for prostitution.