Nagaland police rescue minor, arrest nine in Kohima sex trafficking bust

Nagaland police rescued a minor girl and arrested nine individuals, including the key masterminds, while busting an organised sex trafficking network in Kohima.

Officials confirmed that the operation was initiated after an FIR was registered suo motu by Kohima Women police station, following a missing person complaint, it said.

The victim was traced and rescued from a hotel in Kohima on August 30, and she was provided with medical care and counselling.

The victim, in her statement, claimed that she was coerced into sex work and was sexually exploited by several persons, the police release said on Saturday.

Acting on the victim's testimony, one of the prime accused was arrested, who admitted to operating both as a sex worker and a pimp, working under the main accused, who lured women and arranged clients, primarily from Guwahati and Shillong.

Following extensive surveillance and intelligence inputs, coordinated raids were subsequently carried out and more arrests were made, the statement said.

In all, nine accused have been arrested and sent to judicial custody after completion of police remand, it added.