Interstate Team Probes Trafficking and Rape of HIV-Positive Minor in Odisha Capital

The incident has exposed a suspected sex racket operating in the city’s Laxmi Sagar area, leading to raids, arrests, and the sealing of a residential building declared as a brothel.

The JSCPCR team, consisting of three members, collaborated with Odisha Child Commission member Sujata Nayak and local police to delve into the circumstances surrounding the crime. They visited the reform home where the girl is currently housed, recorded her statement, and collected all relevant records from the Capital Police. The victim, in her recorded statement, revealed that she was abducted from her home in Jharkhand and forced into sex work at Jagnaseni Niwas in Bhubaneswar.

Commissionerate Police had recently raided the three-story building in Laxmi Sagar, tagging it as a red-light area. The minor was rescued from the roadside in a near-death state and admitted to Capital Hospital on the night of October 16. She was brought in by an unidentified woman in an auto-rickshaw, suffering from severe bleeding. Hospital tests confirmed she was HIV-positive, raising alarms about potential clients who may have interacted with her.

Doctors, suspecting gang rape due to her condition, questioned the accompanying woman, who fled the scene. The hospital promptly filed a medico-legal case (MLC) report with the police outpost. By the time police arrived, the woman had vanished. Police are now tracing clients’ addresses and plan to conduct HIV tests on them as part of the investigation.

The case has drawn high-level attention, with four women DSPs assisting in the probe and a senior female IPS officer monitoring progress. Following directives from the Police DG, a special team has been formed. So far, four individuals have been arrested in connection with the Laxmi Sagar sex racket, and interrogations continue.

Brothel Sealed!

In a decisive move, Commissionerate Police declared the three-story Jagnaseni Niwas, owned by Sanjib Das, as a brothel. The second and third floors, comprising six rooms, along with the entire building, have been sealed for a year.

Owner Sanjib Das, described as the mastermind, was arrested and court-forwarded after marathon interrogations. He failed to provide clear answers on why he rented the property to kingpin Manju Sethi, how long the racket had been operating, or his involvement.

Police stated that Das attempted to mislead investigators. Under the law, once declared a brothel, the property remains sealed for a year, during which the owner cannot appeal in court. Notifications will also be sent to adjacent public places like educational institutions, temples, and clubs, informing them of the declaration.

This interstate child exploitation case highlights vulnerabilities in urban areas and underscores the need for stronger anti-trafficking measures. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the full network behind the racket.