Freedom Firm investigators identified Piya*, a minor in Miraj’s red-light area in November. The information was given to the local police to initiate a rescue operation. When the team attempted to rescue her, there was a tip-off, and Piya was not found.
One week later on 8th December, Freedom Firm investigators again spotted Piya and two borderline girls in the red light area. The police arranged a team of officers who accompanied our investigators into the brothel. This time Piya was rescued along with Mausam and Megha.
In her statement at the police station, she revealed that she was forced into prostitution by a boy who, on the pretext of taking her on holiday, sold her into a brothel in Allahabad, then moved to Mumbai and finally was sold to her brothel keeper in Miraj. She revealed that she was forced to prostitute for more than seven years.
The girls were brought to safety, and a customer, an agent, and a brothel keeper were arrested. A criminal complaint was filed against them under sections of the ITPA (Immoral Traffic Prevention Act).
The girls are now in a government shelter home where they will be counseled and followed up with by Freedom Firm’s aftercare team.
*Name changed to protect identity
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