Ossification test ordered on trafficked victims

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PANAJI: The Panaji sub-divisional magistrate has passed an order asking Goa medical college (GMC) doctors to conduct an ossification test on the three trafficked victims who were rescued by the Panaji police last Saturday night, to determine their age.

The girls had refused to undergo the age verification test, thereby raising the suspicion that they could be minors. After the order was passed by the SDM, the girls were taken for the ossification test.

If the girls are found to be minors, then the traffickers will also be booked under the Goa Children's Act and the punishment for offences under GCA for traffickers is more stringent than that under Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.

So far three persons have been arrested by the police. On last Saturday night, Amjad Khan, 25, and Manoj Kumar came in a Hyundai Ascent car with the three trafficked victims near Junta House at Panaji. When they reached Junta House, a police team intercepted them and arrested the two traffickers. While Amjad is from Bhopal, Manoj is from Delhi. Both are residing at Benaulim. They have been booked under Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.

Police said that the duo were in Goa for quite some time and their job was to supply girls to tourists in the state. "They have been here in Goa for sometime. They are not involved in any other work. They have been assigned by one Javed to supply girls to customers," said police sources. Later, Sawan Patil, who had trafficked one to the victim girls to Goa and supplied her to a customer in a starred hotel, was also arrested.

The Times of India