Hyderabad: The menace of prostitution at main bus stands near railway stations in Secunderabad had been a major nuisance for daily commuters in recent months.
However, after the North Zone police received information that professional gangs were active in these places, running the business with women mainly from the districts and other states, the cops conducted special drives and busted five organised gangs in the last one month. Around 40 sex workers were rescued and sent to rescue homes.
Gopalapuram ACP D. Vansantha Rao said that the special drives were going on and more gangs would be trapped soon. After receiving information about the flourishing flesh trade at the two main bus stations near the Secunderabad railway station, special teams were formed and the organisers were trapped. After 8 pm, at each bus station, more than 20 sex workers and their pimps would be active.
“We nabbed the pimps who brought the sex workers to the spots and managed the entire action. To our surprise, most of them were professionals. We booked separate cases against each gang and sent the women to rescue homes in the city for rehabilitation,” said Rao.
Gopalapuram Police has issued as many as five FIRs on the gangs so far. Among the arrested gang members, three women were also found to be organisers of the flesh trade. “The women were former sex workers aged between 50 to 60 years. They fixed the deals with the customers before sending the sex workers with them,” said a police officer from Gopalapuram division.
The gangs would mainly target outsiders who arrived at the Secunderabad railway station. “Few agents would stand in front of the station and follow the male passengers who come out of the station. They would approach them and fix the deal by the time they reached the bus stations,” said a police officer.
Rao added that the menace had come down after the special drives, and cops were keeping a close watch on the areas in order to stop new gangs from starting operations.
