Maha: Four booked for forcing minor into prostitution in Thane

An offence has been registered against four persons for allegedly trafficking and forcing a girl into prostitution in Maharashtra's Thane city, police said on Saturday.

The Mumbra police on Friday registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, an official said.

According to the FIR, the victim alleged that she came in contact with a woman associated with an organisation during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was facing a financial crisis, he said. The victim claimed that she was pushed into prostitution by the woman through three other accused for Rs 5,000 a day, between May and July 2020, the official said, adding that further probe is underway.