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Rajasthan DGP Says Keeping Tabs On Crimes Against Women Amid Girls' 'Auction' Allegations

The police are constantly monitoring and collecting intelligence at sensitive places regarding the trafficking of women and minors, the police chief said.

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Girls as young as eight were being sold in Rajasthan (Representative image)
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Rajasthan Director-General of Police ML Lather on Saturday said the police were keeping a watch on atrocities against women amid allegations of girls being auctioned off on stamp paper in some districts. 

He said the state government was sensitive to crimes against women and special attention was being paid to prevent and investigate such cases. 

The police are constantly monitoring and collecting intelligence at sensitive places regarding the trafficking of women and minors, the police chief said.

"Earlier there was a social evil such as prostitution of women in some particular societies. These incidents have been controlled to a great extent by Rajasthan Police by keeping a constant vigil. As soon as information regarding these activities is received, legal action is immediately being taken," he added.

Referring to campaigns against such crimes, Lather said the police launched Operation Gudiya in the Bhilwara district in 2019 in connection with the auctioning off of girls. 

The police put several kidnappers behind bars, he said, adding that they were operating a prostitution racket from bases in Itunda, Pandher, Hanuman Nagar in Bhilwara and Napakheda and Jaswant Nagar in Sanwar police station area of Ajmer. 

The investigation also found the gang's links to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The police conducted several raids in these states and arrested several accused. They also rescued seven girls, including minors. A charge sheet in the case against 25 accused has already been presented in court, Lather said in a statement.

Rajasthan State Commission for Women has sought from the Bhilwara collector and Superintendent of Police a report amid allegations of girls being auctioned off to settle disputes over loan repayments in the district. The National Commission for Women has also formed a two-member fact-finding team to look into the allegations.