The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports about women being forced into the sex trade under the guise of offering them lucrative job opportunities at a hotel in Ranchi.

The NHRC on Friday issued notices to the chief secretaries and the director-general of police (DGPs) of all the states and UTs calling for a detailed report on the steps taken and proposed to deal with the issue.

“The NHRC after taking suo motu cognisance of a media report has issued notices to the chief secretaries and the DGPs of all the states and UTs calling for a detailed report on the steps taken and proposed to deal with the anti-social elements pushing women into the sex trade on the pretext of providing them with lucrative job opportunities,” said a spokesperson of the commission.

The media report, carried on July 1, 2024, indicated that most of the arrested women during a raid at a hotel in Ranchi, Jharkhand, got into the sex trade out of compulsion and helplessness.

“Many of them were pushed into this web by their relatives and some of them were forced to enter into this ugly business, to fulfil the needs of their families and could not come out of the vicious network of anti-social elements once got into their grip,” the statement of the commission read.

The National Human Rights Commission has observed the contents of the news report quoting statements by women arrested during a raid, if true, raise a serious concern relating to the life, liberty, equality and dignity of women, irrespective of caste, religion and geographical boundaries.