Panjagutta police bust brothel ring, rescue 6 victims; Kingpin held again
Panjagutta: The Panjagutta police with the help of Task Force, West Zone, reportedly apprehended three people running a brothel house and rescued six victims on June 12 (Wednesday).
The arrested have been identified as K. SuryaKumari (38), K Vijaya Sekhar Reddy (49), and Arkojit Mukharjee (30).
The police acted on credible information and apprehended a customer from Manikonda who was allegedly engaging with a trafficked victim at a hotel in Somajiguda. Based on the customer’s confession and the victim’s statement, the police raided locations in Madhura Nagar and Balkampet and arrested Surya Kumari, Vijaya Sekhar Reddy and Arkojit Mukharjee, the three main organizers of the brothel ring.
During questioning, the accused confessed to procuring victims from various parts of India, including West Bengal, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, through agents and old contacts. They housed the victims in rented apartments in Jubilee Hills and S.R. Nagar and sent them to customers’ locations upon request.
The organizers used phone payments to receive advance payments from customers and sent the victims to the locations via cabs or sometimes even their own vehicles. After the victims finished their service, the organizers would collect the remaining money from the customers and return to their houses. The organizers bore the daily living expenses of the victims, including rent.
Six victims were rescued from Jubilee Hills and S.R. Nagar during the operation. Notably, the main organizer, SuryaKumari, was previously detained under the PD Act in 2020 for her involvement in similar cases between 2014 and 2020.
The seized property includes cash amounting to ₹ 89,500. Vehicles include two cars, a TATA Strom and a Nissan Duster, along with two motorcycles, a Royal Enfield and a Honda Shine. Electronic devices consist of 17 cell phones, two Lenovo laptops, two tablets, an Apple tablet, and a Lenovo tablet. Financial instruments comprise 36 debit/credit cards from various banks, three passbooks from different banks, and a cheque book with unused cheque leaves. Additionally, miscellaneous items include four unused condoms, five SIM cards, fifteen Aadhar cards, four Pan cards, a driving license, a vehicle registration certificate, and an original agreement of sale deed were seized.
The arrested individuals were produced in court for judicial remand, and the rescued victims were sent to a shelter home.
The police are searching for two other absconding accused, Ram Reddy alias Venkat Reddy and Balraj.
CM Revanth Reddy reorganizes disaster management for Greater Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has decided to assign critical responsibilities to the Disaster Management Department within Greater Hyderabad. He has directed officials to implement structural changes and redistribute responsibilities accordingly. In a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday evening, the Chief Minister discussed the reorganization with officials from Municipal Administration, HMDA, and Musi Development.
Expansion of disaster management responsibilities
Recognizing the geographic expansion of Hyderabad, the Chief Minister ordered the Disaster Management Department to extend its jurisdiction to the Outer Ring Road. He suggested including GHMC, 27 surrounding municipalities and corporations, and 33 gram panchayats within its service area. The department will be renamed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection (HYDRA). The Chief Minister proposed appointing a DIG-level officer as the director and SP-level officers as additional directors. He also recommended special teams from GHMC, HMDA, the Water Board, city traffic, and other departments to join this new division.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for the Disaster Management Department to offer continuous services to city residents, not just during floods or emergencies. HYDRA should actively address all issues faced by Hyderabad’s citizens, including preserving the city’s tanks and ponds, protecting government properties from encroachments, and managing hoardings and flex banners. Additionally, HYDRA will oversee water pipelines, electricity supply lines, drainage, flood management, and traffic control.
Focus on heritage and infrastructure projects
Chief Minister Reddy directed the acceleration of the Musi River Development Project, aiming to elevate Hyderabad’s international reputation. He stressed the importance of working towards the government’s goal of transforming this project into a landmark. He also ordered officials to take necessary actions to restore historical buildings and structures within the city. The GHMC presented a PowerPoint on various heritage sites, such as the City Library, Charminar Ayurvedic Hospital, and Nizamia Observatory etc. The Chief Minister encouraged exploring ways to develop these sites for tourism and integrating feasible ones into the Musi River Development Project.
The Chief Minister instructed Chief Secretary Shantikumar to draft a comprehensive reorganization plan, including staffing, duties, and budget allocations for HYDRA. He also emphasized identifying key areas where the Disaster Management Department can enhance its operations.
The meeting included Chief Secretary Shantikumar, Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Danakishore, GHMC Commissioner Amrapali, GHMC Vigilance Disaster Management Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, and Hyderabad Water Board MD Ashok Reddy.
