Sakhya Women's Guidance Cell

    Sakhya as a helping hand in rescue operation

Sakhya Women’s Guidance Cell provided helping hand to International Justice Mission (IJM) to undertake rescue operation in the red light area Mustafa Chawl at Kamathipura, Bombay central on 12^th June 2013. The rescue team comprised of  three social workers from IJM, two  lawyers, a senior police inspector and his team of seven police from Social Service branch, witnesses,  a ‘Bogas’ client and his friend and a social worker from Sakhya Women’s Guidance who was witness in this process. We began our mission at 3:30 pm. & ended next day at 1.30 am.

Sakhya’s social worker Ms. Rushila Rebello got an opportunity to be a witness in this rescue operation of sex workers undertaken by International Justice Mission. Accordingly the social worker met IJM staff near the passport verification office, at VT. There the IJM staff and the police planned the entire rescue operation and briefed all of us how the entire process would take place. They also explained to us our role in the same. Accordingly Rakesh (name changed) a 20 year old boy who had volunteered to act as a client was given Rs. 1,020. (Two notes of five hundred each and one note of Rs. 20) Xerox copies of these notes were kept with the IJM staff and with the witnesses) Rakesh’s friend agreed to accompany him till the specific spot near the brothel keepers’ house, and to keep watch of the activities.  Once Rakesh goes inside the brothel keepers’ house and if the brothel keepers accept the money from him and shuts the door, it means that they have accepted the client. His friend, who is the witness of this, will inform the team and the police about it, and the team would go immediately to that spot and rescue the girls and arrest the brothel keepers.

After the planning of the rescue operation the entire team went to the location at Bombay central. As per the planning  the ‘bogas’ client went to the brothel house while his friend waited at a distance. Meanwhile the entire team of IJM social workers, lawyers, investigators, police and witnesses remained seated in their cars. Approximately after about 10- 15 minutes when we got the green signal, from his friend, the entire team of rescue operation quickly went to the brothel house. The brothel house is located on the 1^st floor of an old building at the red light area. The ground floor is occupied with  shops.

As we went, to the first floor we saw the main gate (grilled gate) was locked. One of the IJM staff opened the gate with the help of an iron instrument which is meant to open locks. Once the gate was opened we all rushed inside the brothel house. As we entered we saw two brothel keepers seated in the main hall. The IJM staff quickly searched the whole brothel house and found some girls hiding inside. They also went to the top floor and fund 5 girls hiding inside the wall (in the hollow of the wall). They discovered the hollow by tapping each tile of the walls – and when they heard a peculiar sound; they identified it as a hiding place of the sex workers.

 There was no ventilation at all, it was pitch dark; the girls were all cramped up in that place, scared and shivering. The IJM team brought them down from the top floor and enquired about their names, addresses, about their professions, whether they have come willingly or forcefully to the brothel and they also asked for their documents. They searched the entire house broke their trunks, and cupboards in order to get some documents such as electricity bills, bills of tenancy etc. The police and the IJM staff also seized their mobile phones, pan cards, and condoms etc.   However the police and the IJM staff tried their best to get the Rs. 1020 notes from the sex workers which was given by the ‘Bogas’ client to the sex worker but ultimately they did not succeed in tracing it.

The information which the sex workers were giving was untrue. They were not telling their real stories. They were crying and pleading not to be arrested. Excepting one girl, all of them said that they are willingly doing this business and they have all the freedom to go out and do what they want. They also said that it is due to poverty they are in this profession. Every month they have to send money to their native place.  Some of them were there in the profession since the past five years.

One girl who had arrived in the brothel about 20 days ago narrated that she was brought to this brothel by a fried from Karnataka for employment. She had completed her SSC. She was ignorant she would land up in this situation and for this sort of malpractice. When she expressed her desire to the brothel keeper to be released from the brothel house, the brothel keeper banged her head against the wall and  she also expressed that they were being ill-treated by the brothel keeper. Sometimes they have to entertain 25 clients per day. The clients are charged Rs.500  for half an hour.   Sometimes they have to entertain two clients at a time. Only those girls whom the brothel keepers trusted would be allowed to go out and make purchases whereas other girls are kept under strict vigilance. The brothel keeper would forcefully tell the girls to wear vulgar dresses and if they refuse to do what is asked of them, they will be slapped. Even when they are ill they can’t refuse to entertain the clients. The clients have the liberty to choose the girls.  

After having a full search of the house the police wrote Panchnama read it out and then gave a copy of the Panchnama to the IJM staff. After that the girls (Nine of them) were accompanied to the Nagpada police station. Five brothel keepers were also arrested. The rescue operation went on till 1.30 am.