A Mumbai-based Non-Government Organisation has conducted a raid at a lodging and boarding based in Pune on information about a minor being forced into flesh trade. The officials from the organization claimed that the raid went unsuccessful as the information was been leaked by the local social service branch before the raid.

The Rescue Foundation, a Mumbai-based NGO, who have been working on rescuing minors from flesh trade, claimed they were keeping a watch on the lodging since the past month. They also claimed to have a video (available with mid-day) that clearly shows that an hour before the raid the minor was present inside the lodge.

On May 5, Nitin Mungekar, investigation officer of the Rescue Foundation gave a letter to Rashmi Shukla, Commissioner of Police, Pune stating minors being force into prostitution. “We gave a letter to the commissioner and didn't write the place's name, where the raid is to be conducted since the local police leak the information. But the commissioner asked us to write the name of the spot. Keeping her word we wrote the name and resulted in an unsuccessful raid only because the information was leaked,” added Mungekar.

On May 6, Friday afternoon at 3pm the Social service branch of Pune police along with the members of the Rescue Foundation conducted the raid at Shreemant Lodging and boarding based at Handewadi, Hadapsar, Pune. “When we raided the spot not a single woman or girl was found there. How can it be possible? We were watching the lodge for over a month. Also, on Friday itself the fake customer sent by us was present in the lodging till 12:30pm, who saw around seven girls in the lodge including two minors. He created a video of the same. As soon as he left the information was leaked and when we raided not a person was found. We only found two couples. If there was no girl present in the lodge, how could there be a dustbin filled with used condoms,” asked Mungekar stating that usually earlier during many such raids, they have experienced an unsuccessful on after the spot is revealed. And hence they had stop sharing the information.

Mungekar blames the local social service branch for leaking the information and believes they were in cahoots with the culprits. “We respect the commissioner, who is genuine, but the officers at lower posts are hand-in-glove with the accused and leak information as they get cash on a monthly basis. The manager too was left without any investigation. The officers also took us to more than five lodges within the vicinity, but no one was found there as well. All the lodges were alerted about the raid, as if a single woman is found a case could be registered against them,” added Mungekar.

OfficialspeakSpeaking to Mid-Day Rashmi Shulka, Commissioner of Police, Pune confirm about the raid and said, “No information about the raid was been leaked from our side. We decide to put a check on all illegal activities in Pune and we assure that no information will ever be leaked.”