BENGALURU: A gang of traffickers which allegedly pushed a 17-year-old girl into prostitution at the age of 12 has been arrested. The members repeatedly raped and tortured her, the girl claimed in her complaint.The arrests were made based on the girl’s complaint against eight persons, which was filed at Puttenahalli police station on April 6. The eight accused — Sagayi Raja, Meri, Asha, Jessica, Veeresh, Bharath, Murali and Raghu — are all residents of Bengaluru.Though the girl was rescued in August 2017, horrific details emerged only recently when she was counselled by Talaash Association, an NGO. President of the NGO Seema Diwan said according to the girl, she was repeatedly raped before being rescued by the child helpline in Villupuram , Tamil Nadu, last year.Seema told TOI the girl is an orphan who lost her mother at 10 and never saw her father. Her mother lived with Asha, one of the accused.After her mother’s death, the minor was sent to her relative’s house in Doresanipalya. In 2012, Asha sent her to the house of another relative, Jessica, the wife of Veeresh. Henceforth, the girl was subjected to harassment and sent to clients in many high-profile hotels. She used to be escorted by car driver Murali.According to Seema, in 2016, Jessica and Veeresh took her to Villupuram for a marriage. Touched by the hospitality of the people there, she thought of escaping to Villupuram. In August 2017, she fled from Jessica’s house . But Veeresh alerted his relative Bharat in Villupuram, who spotted her near a bus stand and allegedly dragged her across the road. Noticing the brutal act, passersby alerted child helpline members who rescued the teenager. Police informed the Child Welfare Committee in Villupuram, which sent the girl to CWC Bengaluru.The case was referred to Talaash by the district child protection officer and child care institutions (CCI) in charge. During counselling, the girl narrated her five-year ordeal. Seema said according to the girl, she was beaten up by Asha and Jessica on many occasions.Police have booked a case under IPC 366(A), 370, 372, 373, 376, and 120B and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. DCP (south) Sharanappa S D said, “We have arrested some people after recording the girl’s statement, but can’t divulge any more information at present. We are collecting evidence.”

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