Cops rescue six dance bar girls in late night tip-off
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Uttar Pradesh’s Samajwadi Party MLA Mahendra Singh was among the six persons arrested when Panjim police raided a hotel at Campal near the parade grounds, in the wee hours of Tuesday
The six persons arrested are from Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. The police also rescued six girls from the premises.
They acted on a tip-off that the hotel was operating as a front for prostitution, under the very nose of the police, around half a kilometre from the posh residential locality of Miramar. However, the kingpin identified as one Manohar managed to give the cops a slip.
Panjim Police Inspector Rajendra Prabudessai confirmed to Herald that one of those arrested was the legislator from UP. The person who tipped off the police also happens to be a legislator and was apparently disturbed by the loud music.
“The girls were rescued during the raid. They were illegally trafficked to Goa… We are in search of the prime accused who, the girls told us, dropped them in the hotel and left,” Sub Divisional Police Officer (Panjim) Mahesh Gaonkar told reporters.
The police after recording the statements of the girls lodged them in the Protective Home at Merces. All six accused have been remanded to police custody till September 2.
Although police records show the place as private place, eye witnesses said the girls were dancing in the makeshift “dance bar” located on the terrace of Hotel Viva Goa International.
The girls originally hail from Punjab, Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, all in the age group of 22-36 years. Gaonkar informed that three of the accused – Ajay Pratap Singh (39), Dharmendra Prasad (40), Mahendra Singh (55), Dharmendra Prasad, all hailing from UP had gone to the place as customers.
While two others Komal Bahadur Thapa (29) and Sanjeev Gumor Sah (38), both from Nepal were also arrested under sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act along with Babu Baburajendra Prasad Ghanta (38) who was running the premises on lease.
Police are on the look out for Manohar, Gaonkar said, adding his arrest is crucial to unearth further links in the racket.
The officer said they initially received a call complaining that loud music was being played at the hotel.
Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues told media that the police had raised some queries about whether the building was illegal or not.
