High-Profile Sex Racket Busted in Rourkela; Police Detain Six, Investigation Underway

A suspected high-profile sex racket was busted in Odisha’s Rourkela after police raided a rented house in the city’s Civil Township area. The operation was carried out by the Raghunathpali Police following repeated complaints from local residents about alleged illegal activities at the premises.

During the raid, police detained two women, including the alleged kingpin of the racket, and three male customers. All of them have been taken to the police station for questioning, while investigators are probing the extent of the alleged prostitution network.

According to police, the racket was allegedly being operated from a rented house in the Civil Township area. Acting on credible inputs, a police team conducted a surprise raid and found the suspects inside the premises. The three detained men are reportedly residents of Rourkela.

Police said further investigation is underway to identify others who may have been involved in the operation, including possible agents or facilitators.

Authorities Continue Crackdown on Illegal Sex Rackets

The latest operation comes amid growing concerns over the rise of organised prostitution rackets in Odisha, with police alleging that traffickers and middlemen are increasingly using various methods and fronts to run such illegal activities.

In a separate recent case, the Commissionerate Police busted an alleged prostitution racket operating under the guise of an Ayurvedic massage centre in Bhubaneswar. Police arrested the alleged masterminds, Deepak Das and Sasmita Pradhan, accusing them of luring women with promises of employment before forcing them into prostitution.

Investigators said the couple had allegedly been operating the racket from an Ayurvedic wellness centre near Buddha Park in Niladri Vihar. According to police, women seeking jobs were contacted by Sasmita Pradhan and later coerced into commercial sexual exploitation. Those who resisted were allegedly threatened, while some victims reportedly managed to escape without approaching the police due to fear and social stigma.

The alleged racket came to light after one of the women approached the police and lodged a complaint. Acting swiftly, officers conducted a raid, rescued other women from the premises, and arrested the accused.

Police said investigations in both cases are continuing to determine whether the two rackets have any wider links to organised trafficking or other criminal networks.