Sex racket under guise of modelling; one more woman held

KOCHI: One more of the gang that trafficked women abroad and subjected them to sexual exploitation has been arrested. The arrested is Manjima of Ponnani. The Kochi City Police had earlier arrested Toysi Sindhu of Guruvayur and Aleena Abraham (23), a model and native of Ponguvila in Thiruvananthapuram.

Aleena was taken into custody from a flat near Maradu police station. Toysi Sindhu, who was trying to flee abroad via Mumbai airport, was detained by the immigration department at the airport following a lookout circular issued by the Kochi City Police and handed over to the Mumbai Safar police.

It is hinted that many women have been victims of human trafficking and sexual harassment centered in Kochi under the guise of modeling. Apart from modeling, they were also offered high-profile jobs abroad. After brought to Dubai, they would be taken to hotels and given drugs mixed in soft drinks to make them unconscious and then produces them before men. Nude clippings would be captured. The method is to continuously threaten the victim by showing the visuals.

The Maradu police had registered a case on the complaint filed by a woman who had escaped from the clutches of the gang and returned to Kochi. Later, two women also filed complaints. The Maradu police had registered a case against the Aleena for creating a ruckus at a bar in Vyttila after drinking. The police say that Aleena has connections with goons.