Advisory to check sex trade issued

The security establishment has woken up to the risk of young girls being trafficked into Delhi for sex trade for the Commonwealth Games.

The security establishment has woken up to the risk of young girls being trafficked into Delhi for sex trade for the Commonwealth Games.

HT Image

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asked state governments to instruct policemen — posted at transit points such as railway stations, hotels and bus stands to track potential terrorists — to keep an eye out for pimps bringing in young girls.

“The victims are mostly those who are promised work in Delhi ahead of the Commonwealth Games by fraudulent placement agencies, but instead are likely to be trafficked,” the home ministry told Delhi and six other states — considered as source states — in an advisory this month.

The advisory, sent to West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, called for and “effective coordination” to check the crime, set up helpline and special desks at control rooms to address the issue.

Besides the states, the home ministry also asked the women and child development ministry to go for a public awareness campaign on the issue.

However, a Delhi police officer said the special advisory might have come a little too late.

“There are brothels in Delhi’s red light areas that have been planning for long to make the most of the Games that would bring in thousands of well-heeled foreigners into the city. According to media reports, some brothels have even installed split-ACs, LCD televisions and refrigerators as part of renovations,” he said.

The advisory — issued by Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, MHA joint secretary — reaffirmed existing guidelines and reminded enforcement wings to adopt a “gender, child and victim sensitive approach”.