PANAJI
Mandrem police on Saturday arrested a 42-year-old woman for her alleged involvement in trafficking and forcing women into prostitution. The accused identified as Sharmin Shaikh alias Maria, a native of Ahmedabad, Gujarat was arrested while the two victim girls, aged 25 years and 34 years from West Bengal were rescued from a hotel in Arambol.
“We conducted the operation following a tip-off about the accused’s activities. We learnt that she brought two women from West Bengal to Goa and was engaging them in prostitution. Acting on this information, a raid was carried out at the hotel from where the girls were rescued and accused arrested,” Superintendent of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal said.
Both women were subsequently shifted to the Protective Home in Merces for rehabilitation.
The Mandrem police have registered the offence under sections 4, 5 and 7 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.