Patna, Aug 13 — A special police team in Muzaffarpur conducted simultaneous raids at several suspected locations in the Kazi Mohammadpur and Nagar police station areas, following information about alleged illegal activities being conducted under the cover of massage centres and beauty parlours.
Police detained 12 women and one man during the operation. All those detained are being questioned as investigators work to establish the nature and extent of the alleged network.
According to City SDPO Suresh Kumar, police had been receiving information for some time about suspected illegal activities at certain establishments in prominent parts of the city.
After verifying the inputs, a special team was constituted and coordinated raids were carried out at multiple locations. A significant number of female police personnel participated in the operation.
Police are also examining the role of a female beauty‑parlour operator in the suspected activities.
Investigators are examining whether the operation has connections with previous kidnapping and missing‑person cases registered in the Kanti police station area.
Police obtained leads while investigating complaints filed by the families of missing persons. Those leads subsequently resulted in action against certain beauty parlours and massage centres.
Several missing girls were rescued during the operation, and investigators are now trying to determine how they came to be at the locations that were raided.
Preliminary questioning has reportedly produced information about how vulnerable women and girls may have been brought into the alleged network.
Police suspect that some individuals may have been approached with promises of shelter, financial assistance or other support and subsequently drawn into illegal activities.
Authorities are verifying these statements against documentary and other evidence rather than treating the allegations as facts.
The police investigation is now focused on identifying the alleged key operators and other people involved in the network. Investigators are also examining whether the suspected operation received assistance or protection from anyone else.
SDPO Suresh Kumar said questioning remains underway and that further legal action will be taken based on the evidence gathered during the investigation.