PANJIM, OCT 22
Nagaland police escorted six girls rescued in a raid on alleged inter-state sex racket at a Porvorim beauty parlour almost a fortnight ago, back to that State today evening.
A five member Naga police team headed by an inspector arrived in Goa at 10.30 am and approached the Merces Protective Home where the Naga victims were lodged. As per Bardez Sub Divisional Magistrate Dashrat Redkar’s order, the girls were to be released to police.
The SDM has confirmed this development. “The team escorted the six rescued victims to Mumbai via inter-state bus. They will board a train to Nagaland on Saturday. Family members of these girls have also accompanied them,” he said.
The victims families’ had reached Goa two days prior but the authorities refused to hand over their custody to the latter. “The order was released before the two parties could arrive in Goa. The girls anyway had to be released to the police considering it is an inter-state issue, investigation of which is yet to conclude,” he said.
The released girls are a part of the 11 north eastern girls who were rescued from ‘Lotus’ beauty parlour in a raid carried out by women police team. Five male employees and the lady owner Mahalaxmi Mishra were arrested for human trafficking and pushing these girls into flesh trade. They are now released on bail.
Four Mizoram girls who were also lodged at protective home were released to Aizwal police last week. While the police investigation is underway, Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) is conducting a parallel inquiry based on a request by Nagaland SCW that expressed concern that the girls might have been falsely implicated. An independent inquiry by the SDM is nearing to completion.
