Beautician arrested for forcing minor into flesh trade for Rs 2 lakh

The Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) discovered a high-profile prostitution ring in which a beautician attempted to sell a minor girl for Rs 2 lakh.

Kavita Sankarprajapati Singh aka Ritu, 30, is an Ulhasnagar resident. On Thursday, she was arrested at a hotel in Kashimira, and two females, aged 15 and 19, were rescued and sent to a welfare home.

Acting on a tip-off that a woman was actively involved in the trafficking of young girls in the Thane area, the AHTU team deputed a decoy who made contact with the woman and negotiated a deal with her. Following confirmation, police officers set up a trap at the hotel and caught Ritu red-handed while taking money. Ritu worked in a unisex parlour in Dombivali, where she searched for new customers.

In the meanwhile, an offence has been recorded under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA), and the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). After appearing before Thane's district sessions court, the woman was remanded in police custody. The case has been handed over to the police in Kashimira for further investigation.