In a swift and coordinated operation, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) Thane, led by PI Chetna Choudhary, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Shri Ashutosh Dumbare in coordination with Dr Abraham Mathai, Founder-Chairman of the Harmony Foundation and former Vice-Chairman of the State Minorities Commission in a joint operation with an NGO named Exodus India, led by Mr. Shyam Kamble, successfully rescued four girls—one of them a 17-year-old minor—from a sex trafficking racket operating out of Radha Krishna Restaurant in Bhivandi city.
Acting on verified intelligence, the team staged a decoy transaction. The trafficker, a woman, brought the victims to the hotel and accepted marked currency. This immediately signaled the police team, positioned nearby, to raid the premises and carry out the rescue.
The victims included one minor girl from a Muslim Background in Virar, one girl from Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, one from West Bengal and two from local areas in Maharashtra. Further investigation is ongoing to identify and dismantle the broader network behind the trafficking ring.
Dr Mathai, praised the efforts of PI Choudhary and her team, stating: “This isn’t just about one rescue—it’s about saving dignity, dreams, and futures. The AHTU team acted swiftly, preventing what could have been a life of continued abuse and trauma. While four girls have been saved today, many more still remain trapped in silence. It is our moral and social duty to fight until every girl is free.”
This operation stands as a powerful reminder of the deep-rooted trafficking issues in our society and the urgent need for collective vigilance, stronger enforcement, and community intervention.
