Tinsukia: From engineer to doctor to former Zila Parishad member, from driver to sales manager, men in various positions exploited four minor girls trafficked from Assam’s Dhemaji and pushed into flesh trade in Arunachal. The minors–aged between 10 to 15–were rescued from a sex racket busted by the Capital police of Arunachal Pradesh police in Itanagar during a week-long operation that led to the apprehension of 15 persons, including seven pimps, and eight customers. Three hoteliers have been served notice as accused.
The minors were trafficked between 2020 and 2023 when they were aged between 8 and 12.
Confirming the development, superintendent of Itanagar police Rohit Rajbir Singh, said that based on credible inputs of a prostitution ring involving minor girls at Chimpu, a team from Capital police raided the residence of one Techi Rina alias Ania and Jamlo Tagung and rescued three minor girls, including two from Dhemaji in Assam.
On examination of the minor girls, it was revealed that they were trafficked to Itanagar by two sisters Pushpanjali Mili alias Tutu Mili and Purnima Mili on the pretext of giving them a job. “After being trafficked to Itanagar, they were forced into prostitution by the sisters along with their accomplish Ania and Jamlo,” Singh said, adding “The third minor -daughter of Jamlo Tagung from his first marriage–was not forced into prostitution. She has been reunited with he mother and is safe.”
Mili sisters have their roots in Dhemaji in Assam and shifted to Itanagar where they run a beauty parlour – Pompi and Rosni Beauty Parlor – at Vivek Vihar in Itanagar.
Singh said, “As investigation made headway, police learned about two more minor girls trafficked from Dhemaji and were in the custody of one Pushpanjali Mili from Ganga in Itanagar, who were rescued immediately.”
The police arrested all four traffickers cum pimps identified as Pushpanjali Mili alias Tutu Mili, Purnima Mili, Techi Ania and Jamlo Tagung while the minor girls have been shifted to shelter homes for proper medical and mental care.
Singh added: “They targeted minor girls from poor families in Dhemaji in Assam on the pretext of getting them jobs at Itanagar. Once the girls were taken to Itanagar, the Mili sisters pushed them into the flesh trade with the help of their network of pimps.”
“We identified three more persons Inamul Haque – husband of Puspanjali Mili – hailing from Darrang in Assam, Pushpa Mandal and Laxmi Gorh – duo working as Peer Educator of Voluntary Health Association in Itanagar – who were connected to the network of pimps and have been arrested them,” Singh said and added, “The trio would get customers to have sex with the minor victim girls through WhatsApp groups and other conventional channels.”
They would share the photos of the minor girls on WhatsApp with probable customers, finalize rates and deliver the minor girls to the customer through the husband of either Pushpanjali or Ania. “At times they booked a room in the hotel for the customer and delivered the girl in the hotel room and at times the customer would come down to the residence of Ania or any other place of their choice, SP added.
Singh added the customers would sexually assault the minor girls and pay up the pimps and leave. The money would be kept by the pimps and at regular intervals they would take them shopping and get them new clothes, etc.
Police have arrested eight customers so far, including deputy director of the Directorate of Health Services (Naharlagun) Dr Senlar Ronya, assistant engineer of the Public Works Department (posted at Boleng) Takam Langdip – both residents of Itanagar, JE of Rural Works Department (posted at Itanagar) Er Michi Tabin – a resident of Barapani in Naharlagun, accountant of NRHM (posted at Yupia) Debia Tara – resident of Lekhi Village in Nirjuli, Rido Nime – resident of Julang in Itanagar, driver at Social Forestry Division (Itanagar) Bamang Taya – resident of Chandannagar in Itanagar, Sales Manager at Maruti Arena Sushil Seal – resident of E-Sector in Itanagar and Ex-ZPM of Pistana, Neelam Mangha – resident of A-Sector in Naharlagun.
Singh said that through extensive investigation, police have been successful in collecting overwhelming digital, financial and physical evidence till now. “We have informed their concerned parent departments about their arrest and their involvement in the case as per the laid down procedure. Further, efforts are on to identify the other assailants and more arrests will follow,” he added.
“We have identified the two hotels where the minors were sexually assaulted by the customers and have written to the concerned authorities for cancellations of their licenses,” Singh said, adding, “Legal action is being initiated against the hotel managers and owners who had given the rooms to the pimps and their customers even after being fully aware of the illegal activity for which rooms were booked.”
The hoteliers who have been served notice as accused include the manager of Centre Point Hotel in Itanagar Jaya Tandi, owner and manager of Marpi Hotel in Itanagar Tajum Ronya and Loknath Dahal.
The Capital police has conveyed the matter to CWC and based upon their complaint a case vide Itanagar WPS has been registered under section 373 of IPC R/W Section – 6/8/12 POCSO Act and Section-3/4/5/6 of Immoral Trafficking Act.