Man who forced 16-yr-old girl into flesh trade arrested

The police had earlier arrested Velankanni (38), Manjula (45), Prakash (21), Muthukalyani (22) and Vasanth (24) from Kancheepuram. Arputharaj was in a relationship with another accused Velankanni. On Wednesday morning, the police arrested Arputharaj (30) while they were in vehicle check at the Sevilimedu junction in Kancheepuram.

The girl was from an economically weak background and hailed from a village near Uthiramerur in Kancheepuram. After she completed Class 10, her parents decided to send her for a job to support the family. According to police, Velankanni (38), the girl’s neighbour, had assured the parents of finding a job as a babysitter for the girl. She also paid Rs 5,000 to the girl’s parents as advance. Velankanni had separated from her husband and was living with Arputharaj.

When the girl came home for Easter weekend, she refused to go with Velankanni. Later, the girl broke down and narrated her plight to her parents. The girl was then sent to many places around Chennai and raped by several men. The accused had threatened to kill her parents if she refused to comply. Police said they would record the rape and later blackmail the girl.