Ballari police detained 11 individuals on November 10 following the dismantling of a sex trade network in Millerpet that allegedly exploited minor girls and women. Five additional accused remain at large as the investigation continues. The suspects are accused of coercing minors into prostitution and distributing their nude photographs and videos on social media for financial gain, prompting an inquiry into the recipients and usage of this material.
The decoy operation was executed by Ballari city sub-division police under the supervision of SP Suman D Pennekar, concluding a 45-day effort where Akka Pade personnel maintained contact with the suspects. A case has been registered at the APMC police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, with the arrested individuals remanded in judicial custody.
The 16 identified accused include Govindamma, Nagaraj, Raju, Yerriswamy, Eramma, Mohammed, Vinuthabai, Rabia, Gausia, Gangadhar, Anwar, Usman, Rahul, Alibai, Ashraf, and Baburao. Preliminary findings indicate the group divided earnings from prostitution into three shares and utilized paper codes to identify victims and QR codes for racket operators to conceal transactions.
