Armed with a more stringent law that prohibits dance bars and flesh trade, the Navi Mumbai police raided one Zoom Bar and a lodge late on Tuesday night to rescue 28 girls who were pushed into prostitution. The police acted on the lead provided by an NGO – Indian Rescue Mission.

“We had received specific information that the Zoom Bar and an adjoining Sai Geet lodge in Turbhe were being used to run a flesh trade racket. We therefore informed Navi Mumbai police and carried out the raid,'' informed the NGO’s founder president James Varghese.

The Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, K L Prasad ordered the raid which was carried out precisely at 8.30 pm. The customers and bar personnel were rounded up in the hour-long raid.

“We have learnt that the exploited girls are mainly from Rajasthan. They were lured to the big city by either their friends or other acquaintances and then pushed into this horrible sex trade. We thank the police for successfully carrying out this raid,'' revealed Varghese.

The former vice chairperson of State Minorities Commission and patron of the NGO, Abraham Mathai, told media persons: “On behalf of Indian Rescue Mission, I would like to thank the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, K L Prasad, for keeping the details of this bar raid a top secret till the very last minute. This enabled us to successfully carry out the raid.''

The rescued girls were sent for a detailed medical examination to ascertain how many of them are minors.