Delhi Police find prostitution racket in flat where a man was killed days ago

Four occupants of the flat, including the injured man, were arrested in a separate case registered in connection with the prostitution racket, said police officers

Three days after a group of at least 10 people barged into a rented flat and stabbed two occupants, killing one and injuring the other, police on Monday said at least six people were running “a prostitution racket” on the premises.

The prime suspect, Himanshu Pandit alias Bouncer, suffered fractures after he jumped off the roof of a building in south Delhi’s Chhattarpur while trying to evade officers who had come to arrest him. (Representative image)

Four occupants of the flat, including the injured man Atul Kumar, 23, were arrested in the case registered in connection with the sex racket and forcing a minor girl into prostitution. At least two more people involved in the racket, identified as Imtiaz and Sanya, are on the run. The police are also looking for a woman named Anita, who allegedly forced the 17-year-old into prostitution. The four arrested men have been identified as Vinay Kumar, 30, kingpin of the racket, Atul Kumar, Sahil Sharma, 23, and Nitesh Kashyap, 23, said deputy commissioner of police (east) Amrutha Guguloth.

Three days ago, the 17-year-old girl was at the flat when a group of miscreants arrived and attacked Atul and one Sunil alias Sheikh Yasin, a goldsmith, in an attempt to extort them for money because they knew the flat was being used to run the racket. However, things turned ugly when Yasin and Atul resisted and were stabbed by the miscreants before they fled the spot, police officers aware of the matter said.

Four suspects, Bhagirath alias Ranu, Devesh Tyagi, Dinesh Parena, and Amit Yadav, were arrested and booked for murder, robbery and attempt to murder, police said, adding the prime suspect, identified as Himanshu Pandit alias Bouncer, suffered fractures after he jumped off the roof of a building in south Delhi’s Chhattarpur while trying to avoid arrest on Saturday, the police said.

Himanshu, who was previously involved in an attempt to murder case, was admitted to AIIMS Trauma Centre, where he is undergoing treatment, and has been placed in custody.

DCP Guguloth said that the minor girl’s statement was recorded and accordingly a second case was registered on her complaint. The girl, a resident of east Delhi, told the police that her family’s financial condition was poor after the Covid-19 lockdown, and she was looking for work. In March 2021, she met Anita who employed her at her house as a domestic help. But after some days, Anita started calling men home, who forced themselves on the girl and paid Anita. When the girl demanded money from Anita, she threatened to kill her. About 10 months ago, she met Sanya, who befriended her and promised her a job, said DCP Guguloth.

Around one and a half months ago, Sanya called the girl to the Laxmi Nagar flat and introduced her to Vinay, who asked her to come at 6pm the next day. The girl went there and was raped by a man, who then paid Sanya, Vinay and Imtiyaz . The girl was asked to come to the house every day at the same time. They threatened to kill her if she did not turn up or complain to anyone. Scared, she did not disclose the incident and started going to the flat daily. Sanya, Vinay, Atul, Imtiyaz, Nitesh and Sahil forced her to have physical relations with different people. They never paid the girl though. Other girls were also forced into prostitution at the flat, added the DCP.