Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
A shocking revelation has emerged that sex trafficking was being operated from Ashoka Lodge in the Paithan Gate area, with women being confined and forced into prostitution. On Wednesday evening, police raided the lodge and rescued two women from West Bengal. The manager and five employees of the lodge were also arrested.
For some days, there were discussions among local business people and traders about the illegal activities that were ongoing at the lodge in the main market area. However, the police had no information about this, which surprised the locals. Following Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Nitin Bagate's instructions, the police set up a sting operation using an undercover customer with a payment of Rs 1,000. At 10 pm, on Wednesday, when the undercover customer signaled that prostitution was happening inside, the waiting police force entered the lodge. They found women in two rooms where prostitution was being conducted at rates between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000.
Charges Filed
In the raid, the police filed charges and arrested the lodge manager Raju Subhash Salve (22, Nagasennagar), receptionist Vishal Suresh Bhujange (30, Bhimnagar), room boys Bhavesh Pravin Jadhav (20, Ramnagar, Harsul), Irfan Gafar Deshmukh (28, Beed) and worker Sandeep Bhikaji Khajekar (24, Siddhnath Wadgaon, Gangapur).
Who owns the lodge?
During the police action and filing of charges, there was no mention of the lodge owner. Therefore, the question of who owns the lodge remains unanswered.