Andhra Pradesh: Prostitution racket busted in Nellore; 13 held

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Police on Thursday busted a prostitution racket and arrested 13 people in this connection while rescuing seven women who were allegedly cheated and forced in the flesh trade.

The police raided six places in the city and arrested eight operators and five customers.

The brothels were allegedly run by Zakir Hussain alias Mahesh, the kingpin of the racket, and his associates. As modus operandi, he lured women by promising roles in films and sexually exploited them after which he forced them into prostitution, police said.

"He used to shoot short films featuring the women, then promise roles in films and compel them to establishing sexual intercourse with him. After that, he used to send them to other people for prostitution," Nellore DSP J Srinivas Reddy told reporters here.

He said that Zakir was running a brothel himself whereas other brothels were being looked after by the women who were forced into prostitution.

A total of six FIRs have been registered against the accused at several police stations in the city under provisions of relevant sections of the IPC.

The police have recovered a car, a motorcycle, a computer, 14 mobile phones and Rs 12,300 cash from the possession of the accused.