Nagpur: An online sex trade racket operating out of a hotel in Ganeshpeth was busted and two young women — one from Delhi and another from Uttar Pradesh — allegedly forced into prostitution after being lured with promises of quick money, were rescued on Thursday.The raid was carried out by the Nagpur police social service branch near Ganeshpeth bus stand between 8pm on May 6 and 3am on May 7. The team included naik constable Ashwin Mange, Sameer Shaikh, Kunal Masram and others under senior inspector Rahul Shire.Police said the racket was allegedly run by a Jharkhand-based agent identified as Raj, also referred to as Ranjan Kumar Pandey. Investigators found that women were being contacted and exploited through a mobile number listed on a website.Police said the rescued women had been pushed into commercial sex work due to severe financial distress. They were medically examined and later handed over to Ganeshpeth police station for statements and rehabilitation support.A cash amount of ₹6,730 was seized from the spot.Police are searching for the main accused and the person linked to the website-listed mobile number, believed to be the key coordinator of the racket. Senior officials said the action was part of “Operation Shakti”, an ongoing drive under police commissioner Ravinder Singal to crack down on human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.Investigators said traffickers are increasingly using websites, social media and messaging apps to run such networks from city hotels, often disguising them as massage or escort services. Police sources said women from North India facing unemployment, debt and migration pressures are often targeted with false promises before being trapped in coercive exploitation.A case has been registered at Ganeshpeth Police Station.
