3 held for "forcing" West Bengal woman into prostitution

Three persons, including a married couple, have been arrested for allegedly buying and forcing a 22-year-old girl from West Bengal into prostitution here, police said today.
According to the police, the incident came to light late last night after the victim, who was confined by the accused, managed to flee from their clutches. On seeing a PCR van, she approached the policemen who took her to a nearby hospital for medical assistance and informed the local police station.
A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Deshbandhu Gupta Road police station on the girls' statement and Naresh (40), his wife Archana (35) and Raju (26), all of whom live near Liberty Cinema Complex, New Rohtak Road in Central Delhi, were arrested, police said.

"The victim, who is a native of West Bengal, lived along with her family in Guwahati, Assam. On January 25, one of her distant relatives brought her to the national capital on the pretext of getting her a job. The relative, however, sold her to these three people," said a police official.
The trio then allegedly forced her into prostitution. They even made her starve and thrashed her regularly saying she has been purchased by them and hence she will have to obey their orders. Naresh and Raju even attempted to rape her, said a senior police official.
Police may also slap charges of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act against the trio once the girl's statement under section 164 CrPC is recorded.

Efforts are also on to nab the absconding accused who brought the girl to Delhi, police said.