Women’s Helpline in Patna. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Raids on beauty salons, cyber cafés and private residences over the past month have rescued more than 50 women, all allegedly victims of the flesh trade flourishing in the state capital.

However, a new problem has cropped up — a tiff between the police and two organisations working towards the women’s rehabilitation, casting a shadow on the victims’ future.

The two organisations involved are Prayas Bharti Trust, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and Women’s Helpline, a unit under the social welfare department.

Elaborating the matter, an officer at the Women’s police station said: “In the past month, we have recovered a lot of women, most of them victims lured into the flesh trade during different raids. Sleaze rackets flourish in Patna in many forms and the police, through their information network, work towards busting them. The two organisations, where the women are sent, are not working properly for their rehabilitation. Allegations have been levelled that the rehab centres have asked for money from the victims. However, no written complaint has been lodged regarding this. The police are now in a dilemma where to keep the rescued women.”

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaj said he had received similar information about the matter. “The police are now trying to locate sleaze joints and shut them down permanently. That can prevent women from going back to the profession,” the SSP said.

On their defence, Prayas Bharti and Women’s Helpline refuted the charges and blamed the police for lapses.

“This is a completely false allegation that we are demanding money from them. Why should we take money from them? We try our best to send them back to their respective families. But some go back to the profession themselves,” Pramila, the project manager of Women’s Helpline, said.

Suman Lal, the co-ordinator of Prayas Bharti Trust, could not be contacted even after repeated attempts. However, a representative, who identified herself as Seema, claimed that they did not have any problems with the police. “During the recent police raids, 23 girls were brought here. But they all have been sent to their homes now. We work according to set rules and we give such women shelter and also train them to make them self-reliant in a decent way. We work on donations and the government has never helped us in any way. We approached the government for grants several times,” she said.