Prostitution racket busted

Bengaluru: The Women and Narcotics division of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) rescued four women from a prostitution racket that was run from a two-storey underground structure in the heart of Bengaluru, police said.
The lodge, located in New Tharagupet, Mysuru Road, had a two-floor cellar with a secret entrance to run the racket, police said.
Acting on credible information, CCB sleuths swooped do wn on Shiva Palace Deluxe Lodge and picked up two persons.The accused allegedly forced girls from Kolkata and Mysu ru into prostitution, after promising them jobs and bringing them to Bengaluru. The accused were identified as Manjunath Gowda, 29, a resident of Rajajinagar and native of Siddapura, Mahesh HL, 21, from Mandya, G Raghu, 30, of Soundarya Nagar in the city, Dharmendra Kumar, 27, from Tumakuru, Ashraf, 37, fr om Goripalya, and Chand, 24, from Kalasipalya.
Police seized five mobile phones from among the other items used by the accused to operate the racket.