One minor rescued, nine accused arrested
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 6 (MExN): Kohima Police has dismantled an organized sex trafficking racket in the state capital, rescuing a minor girl and arresting nine accused, including the key mastermind.
The operation was launched following a Suo-Motu FIR registered by Kohima Women Police Station after an enquiry into a missing person report. Reliable inputs during the investigation led officials to trace and rescue the girl from a hotel in Kohima on August 30, a press release from the Kohima Police informed. Police said the victim was immediately provided with medical assistance and counselling. Her statement revealed that she had been coerced into prostitution and sexually exploited by multiple persons.
Based on the disclosure, police apprehended one of the accused, identified as Neisedenuo (31). During interrogation, she admitted to working as a prostitute and a pimp. She told investigators that she operated under the main accused, Rakesh (32), and was responsible for recruiting the minor victim.
Acting on further intelligence and surveillance, a coordinated team comprising personnel from North Police Station and Women Police Station, led by the Officer-in-Charge of Women PS, carried out raids to target the wider network. Several more suspects alleged to be organizers, pimps, and agents were arrested.
The key accused, Rakesh, admitted during interrogation that he arranged clients, mainly from Guwahati and Shillong, while Neisedenuo recruited the girls. He also confessed to personally exploiting the victims. Investigators established that both Rakesh and Neisedenuo coordinated a prostitution racket trafficking and exploiting girls across multiple locations in Kohima.
Altogether, nine alleged accused have been arrested and forwarded to judicial custody after completion of police remand. The police said investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the network and identify all those involved.
“Kohima Police is committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety and security of all citizens. This operation underscores our zero-tolerance policy towards crimes against women and children and our commitment to dismantling organized trafficking networks. Our investigations are ongoing to trace the wider linkages of this racket,” stated the press release.
The police appealed to the public to share any relevant information that could assist in the investigation, assuring that the identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential.
