Jaisalmer: A case involving the alleged sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old in Sriganganagar came to light Saturday after two more people were arrested taking the total number of people involved in this case to 10. The girl was allegedly assaulted by nearly a dozen people over four days.According to police, the minor who was a Class 8 student, went to Srivijaynagar on June 18 to meet a friend. In charge of the Women’s Harassment Cases Cell and the investigating officer, RPS Kailashdan Detha, said the girl reached Sriganganagar at around 10.30 pm and asked an e-rickshaw driver, to drop her home.Police alleged that instead of taking her home, the driver took her to a hotel named Hotel Joy Inn where she was subsequently moved between multiple hotels and subjected to repeated sexual exploitation over the following days.According to the FIR, the accused allegedly facilitated the exploitation through hotel premises. Police said a man transported the girl from one hotel to another. Investigators also examined allegations that alcohol was given to the minor during the period of abuse. Initially, three hotels surfaced during the investigation. Police later identified a fourth establishment operating under the name “Dream” near Birbal Chowk. Records of all four hotels were under examination.Police recovered the girl from Hotel Joy Inn on June 22 after her family filed a missing person report. Based on her statement, 10 people have been arrested so far and efforts are going on to identify and detain others involved.Investigators seized DVR systems from all four hotels, and a team of experts was formed under the supervision of DSP Harishankar Yadav to analyse the footage. Police believe additional names may emerge during the examination.Among those arrested were hotel owner Mayank Sain, manager Hardeep Nath and Sachin, who were on police remand. The E-rickshaw driver identified as Ram Babu, along with Mukesh Nath and Lalband Singla were sent to judicial custody. Police Saturday arrested two more men identified as Deepak, a resident of Hanumangarh, and Tarun, a resident of Sriganganagar.Police stated that of the 10 arrests made so far, five accused were alleged to have directly participated in the exploitation. One hotel linked to the case was sealed, while authorities continued to examine the role of other hotel owners and management personnel. Officials said rental records and operational documents would also be scrutinised, and legal action would be taken if complicity was established.Shankar said that investigators recovered important leads from the mobile phones of the accused, which will help in further arrests. He added that the safety, health and rehabilitation of the minor remained a priority and that police teams were continuing raids to trace additional suspects.The district Congress Committee Saturday organised a protest outside the Ganganagar Traders Association building, where party workers raised slogans against the police administration and hotel operators. District Congress president and Srikaranpur MLA Rupinder Singh Kunnar joined the demonstration and demanded strict action against those responsible.
