The raid/rescue saga in Sangli, western Maharashtra ends!

July 19, 2005

Dear all,

The raid and rescue saga in Sangli, western Maharashtra ended with all the girls

being released yesterday. They were raided and rescued but were not

rehabilitated. Six of them after almost two months in custody though 31 of the

35 were adults/not minors.

As you know on 20/May/2005 a raid was conducted in Gokulnagar a red light

district in Sangli, western Maharashtra, India. The police on the information

given by Mr. Greg Malstead a U.S. national conducted this raid.

Mr. Malstead used distribution of chocolates and condoms as his survey method.

Mr. Malstsead claimed he belonged to an NGO Restore International. We later

found that this is not a registered organization but a Christian ministry

started recently in South India by Mr. Malstead.

13 brothel owners and 35 girls were picked up in the raid and unfortunately two

of the 35 were school going girls who had come home for their school holidays.

The medical exam found 31 girls above the age of 18. But the embarrassed police

asked for a re-exam and they submitted a report that 18 girls were above 20 and

the rest between 16 to 19 years of age. The 18 girls were released to their

parents.

The remaining 17 were transferred to the Child Welfare Committee on the instance

of a lawyer from Prerna an NGO in Mumbai. They were remanded till further

orders. Two of the school going girls, were then released to their parents.

Unfortunately, one of the school going girls is so embarrassed by

the incident she has refused to go back to school and threatens suicide if she

is sent back. Nine girls produced school leaving and birth certificates as proof

of them being above 18 but this was not accepted. This is actually against the

law of the land. Anyway they were released to their parents.

'Restore International' went against this order of the Child Welfare Committee

and the case is pending in the sessions court in Sangli.

Four of the six remaining girls produced proof of age as above 18 to the

sessions court representing themselves, as wrongfully remanded, despite being

above 18 and they were also released to their parents.

The two girls who were actually minors were released on humanitarian grounds as

they were found to be pregnant and were ill and pleading for their mothers.

Thus the saga ends.

Meena Saraswathi Seshu

SANGRAM/VAMP.

E-mail:<san_meena@...>

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