Kolkata, September 11: In a major crackdown on human trafficking, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Kolkata Police busted a sex racket operating out of a house in the city’s Burtolla area on Wednesday night. Acting on a specific tip-off, police raided the premises and rescued nine minor girls and two women from the clutches of traffickers. Six individuals, including a couple accused of running the brothel, were arrested.

The alleged brothel owners, identified as Saraswati Banerjee (47) and Amit Banerjee (49), were found residing at the property where the racket was being run, reported Indian Express. Four others were also taken into custody for their suspected roles in trafficking: Suman Haldar (34) of Dakshin Kasiabad, South 24 Parganas; Puja Mistry (28) of Dum Dum, North 24 Parganas; Dip Chatterjee (22) of Adarsha Pally Rail Colony; and Akash Chowdhury (25) of Shyamnagar, North 24 Parganas. Sex Racket Busted in Ranchi: Police Bust Prostitution Ring Operating From Girls’ Hostel in Lalpur, 13 Arrested.

During the raid, police uncovered that the upper floor of the residence was being used to operate the clandestine sex racket, exploiting both minors and adult women. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the extent of the network and whether more individuals are involved. Sex Racket Busted in Nagpur: Crime Branch Raids Guest House in Kanholibara, Rescues 4 Women Forced into Prostitution, Arrests Accused.

Human rights activists highlight that West Bengal has long been identified as a high-risk state for human trafficking, primarily due to its geographical proximity to Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. Kolkata’s extensive red-light districts, including Sonagachi, are known hotspots where trafficking victims are often exploited.

The operation is part of the Kolkata Police’s intensified campaign against illegal sex rackets and prostitution rings, particularly those functioning under the guise of spas and massage parlours across the city and surrounding districts.

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