Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 23:

Police have busted a sex racket from a rented house in Girish Vihar area under Khandagiri police limits in the Odisha capital, police said today.

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While three girls have been rescued and sent to short stay home, the kingpin of the racket Sara Nayak alias Lal Paan Bibi has been arrested, police added.

Sources said Sara Nayak who hails from Raikia area in Kandhamal district had allegedly lured these girls from the same area on January 8 promising them with jobs in the capital city.

Sara had allegedly kept them under confinement in a rented house and used to engage them in flesh trade in the night against their will.

According to the police, some people from Girish Vihar informed Khandagiri police station on Sunday that some girls were kept in confinement in a house.

On visiting the place to ascertain the truth, police came to know that Sara who had kept the girls in confinement was not at home.

On promising the girls to rescue them, the police went into hiding and waited there for Sara to return. At around 5 PM when Sara returned police who were in hiding raided the place.

Following the raid, police brought the three rescued girls and kingpin of the racket Sara to the police station.

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The girls have narrated their plight to the police.

Since they were from poor and needy families Sara had made them believe that despite them being lowly educated, she with the help of her influential husband would arrange jobs for them in private firms, the girls have told the police.

Sara after getting them from Raikia area had kept them in confinement in the rented house with the doors and windows under lock and key in the day time, the girls have alleged before the police.

The girls have told the police that after their arrival in the capital city Sara had taken them to a beauty parlour and got their hair cut to give them a modern look. She had also got them modern outfits to wear.

The girls came to know her real intention only on the night of January 15 when they were sexually exploited by customers. They were told by Sara that they would get good money and were threatened that they would get into trouble if they revealed it to anyone.

It was luck which was on the side of the girls that Sara had forgotten to lock one of the windows of the rented house on Sunday. Sometime after Sara had left the house, the girls had opened the window and had requested passersby to rescue them, who later informed the police.

Police suspect involvement of a few others in the racket after examining the call details of Sara’s mobile phone and have launched a manhunt to nab them.

Meanwhile, police have sealed the rented house and have served a notice to the landlord.

According to preliminary investigations by the police, Sara who is a habitual offender has been arrested by Khandagiri and Nayapally police earlier for similar crimes.