5 J&K cops held for running sex racket

The Jammu and Kashmir police has busted a major sex racket run by cops, including a woman special police official (SPO) in Rajouri district of Jammu division.

Three male SPOs, a woman SPO and a selection grade constable have been so far arrested. The incident came to fore when one of the SPOs, his wife (who is also an SPO) and her brother lured a girl for a government job.

The police said the girl was handed over to another SPO who took her to a rented room of a constable and raped her. “After the girl raised an alarm, the police immediately swung into action made the arrests,” said Mubassir Latifi, SP Rajouri. All the accused have been dismissed from the services.

The victim has been sent for medical examination. The racket was being run from a rented room of one of the SPOs. The police suspect that the woman SPO was running the racket along with four other people.

SPOs are casual employees of J&K who are paid a consolidated salary of Rs5000 per month. Most of the SPOs are surrendered militants and village defence committee members who form the important defence line against the ultras.

“One of the SPOs was arrested under rape charges while the others have been arrested for abetting the crime,” said a police officer.