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Mumbai Police on Tuesday rescued seven girls after raiding a massage palour that was allegedly involved in the flesh trade. The raid was part of the ongoing drive against prostitution in the city, and police confirmed that the owner of the massage palour has been arrested. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of the Social Service branch, Vasant Dhoble, told media here: "We rescued seven girls in the raid and have arrested Manohar Thakur, the owner of massage parlour. During the investigation, we found out that he was a reporter with eight to ten newspapers." Dhoble said police raided the massage parlour at midnight after sending one of its officers as a decoy. "The girls who were employed for massage services were also provided for the prostitution. A specific rate was quoted for the girls and were sent away," said Dhoble. Dhoble added that a case under PITA (Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act) was registered against 65-year- old Thakur. The PITA act is meant to combat trafficking of females as well as prostitution in the city. According to media reports, more than a hundred girls have been rescued in the last four months from bars, saloons and massage centres, which were functioning as prostitution dens. South Asia is the second largest venue for human trafficking in the world, after East Asia , according to the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Over 150,000 people are trafficked within the region every year - mostly for sex work, but also for labour, forced marriages and as part of the organ trade, according to UNODC officials. Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing transnational organised crimes in South Asia.

Mumbai police rescue seven girls in raid on massage parlour