Many of us were taken to red-light area in Delhi,forced into prostitution: Inmates

The FIR (copy with The Indian Express) mentions the statement of one of the inmates Rehana (names of inmates changed),who alleged that Jaswanti Devi,incharge of Apna Ghar,was forcing the inmates into prostitution by taking them to GB road. The FIR mentions the name of nine other inmates,whose statements were recorded by the police.

“Jaswanti Devi and her son-in-law Jai Bhagwan used to take us to Delhi on pretext of getting us jobs and then force us into prostitution. She was taking money from people there,” Rehana alleged in her statement. On this basis Jaswanti and Jai Bhagwan were booked on charges of immoral trafficking,wrongful confinement,criminal intimidation and assault and under the provisions of Prevention of Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act.

The real damage

The Indian Express visited a number of shelter homes,in Rohtak,where the inmates of Apna Ghar have been shifted by the police. The horrific tales of the inmates speak volumes of the atrocities and sex-racket being run by Jaswanti and her accomplices.

“We were provided just a little food once a day. We were hung upside down from the ceiling fans and then thrashed by Jai Bhagwan and Jaswanti Devi with wooden sticks. We were forcibly made to drink liquor and then taken to marriage parties for dancing. We were taken to Delhi’s GB road,where we were forced to have sex with men. Whenever we protested,we were thrashed by people present there as well. I have faced this ordeal for 20 months,ever since I was transferred to Apna Ghar,from Mumbai,” said Sanjana.

Sanjana and her younger sister got separated from her parents at a very young age in Mumbai. She was lodged in St Anthony High School – a charitable home in Mumbai,from where a Dubai-based family adopted Sanjana and her younger sister. “Since I was older,the family sent me back to India and I was lodged in Apna Ghar. My sister is still in Dubai and we stay in contact through letters,” Sanjana added.

“We were made to sleep on the floor – even in winters – if we did not follow Jaswanti’s orders. Shivani (2) died of illness,but Jaswanti did not take her to the hospital despite our pleading. Any girls born at the home were either sold by Jaswanti or left near a railway station or on a train,” Sanjana revealed.

Another Apna Ghar inmate – Pepe,who is deaf and mute – was also subjected to physical and mental torture. The only way Pepe communicates with people is through actions. According to Pepe – as interpreted by Sanjana – she used to be badly thrashed by Jaswanti and Jai Bhagwan whenever she refused to admit to their orders. “I was taken to fields to cut crops. Then Jaswanti used to take us to various market places and order us to commit theft. Whenever we refused,it used to be a hell for us. We were not provided food and tortured badly,” Pepe communicates through Sangeeta.

“Nobody knows her (Pepe’s) name,she keeps saying ‘Pe. Pe’,so we named her Pepe,” Sangeeta added.

Another inmate,Manjari (20),from West Bengal,is still waiting to hear from her parents,“I don’t know where exactly my parents are in West Bengal. I came to Gurgaon in search of work; but then got lodged in Apna Ghar after the police caught me and lodged me there. It has been over six months in this hell. We were forced to commit theft,dance in weddings and do all kinds of nasty activities with visitors,” Manjari said.