29 women rescued, 30 human traffickers held in multiple raids

The Kolkata Police has arrested 30 people for their alleged role in human trafficking and rescued 29 women in raids at upscale localities across the city, officials said on Monday.

Simultaneous raids were conducted at Prince Anwar Shah Road, Rashbehari Avenue, Bhawanipore and the New Market area late Sunday night, they said.

Seven women were rescued from an apartment on Prince Anwar Shah Road in the Jadavpur police station area, while 10 others were brought to safety in a raid at a salon in the Bhawanipore police station area, a senior officer said.

"We have been receiving complaints regarding sex trade going on in these locations. There were several complaints lodged, following which we carried out the raid," he said.

Six women were rescued from a building's first floor on Rashbehari Avenue, from where the anti-human trafficking unit of the Kolkata Police also arrested four people, who were identified as customers, a brothel owner, and a manager.

A beauty parlour on Mirza Galib Street in the New Market area was also raided and six women were rescued. Six people were arrested from there, he said.

Details of other arrests are yet to be known.

Police said those arrested have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and further investigations are on.

The rescued women have been sent to shelter homes, they said.