According to Jhalawar Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Budaniya, a preliminary investigation has established that five of the six girls were repeatedly sexually exploited. (File photo)Six minor girls were rescued from an alleged prostitution racket in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district earlier this week.Police have arrested five people, including family members and relatives of the victims, for allegedly forcing them into prostitution for money.According to Jhalawar Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Budaniya, a preliminary investigation has established that five of the six girls were repeatedly sexually exploited. Two of the rescued girls were also found suffering from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) during medical examinations.The action was carried out on November 3 following a complaint received by the SP’s office last month. The complaint alleged that families belonging to a denotified tribe were pushing minor girls into prostitution, with local brokers facilitating the illegal trade and collecting money from customers.A special team, constituted under the supervision of Assistant SP Ayush Shrotriya, subsequently conducted a decoy operation and collected digital evidence using spy cameras to verify the allegations.“Based on the findings, more than 100 police personnel, including women officers in plain clothes, raided multiple locations simultaneously and rescued six girls aged between 12 and 17. During investigation, we found that three of the rescued girls were clearly visible in the footage recorded during the decoy operation. The footage allegedly captured family members and brokers demanding money from customers in exchange for 10 to 20 minutes with the girls…” said Budaniya.Police also seized a large quantity of incriminating material from the premises. The Forensic Science Laboratory team examined the locations and collected evidence.Story continues below this adPolice said the five accused, including three women, were neighbours and relatives of the rescued girls. They were produced before a court on Friday and sent to three-day police remand.They have been booked under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.All six girls were produced before the Child Welfare Committee and subsequently sent to a shelter home for their safety and rehabilitation. Those found suffering from sexually transmitted infections have been provided medical treatment and vaccinations under the supervision of health experts, said officials.Police said investigation was continuing to identify other people involved in the racket and establish whether more minor girls had been pushed into prostitution.Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer ... Read More Tags:child prostitutionRajasthan