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The core of the racket rested on a vile and baseless superstition that having the first sexual contact with a virgin girl can cure various mental and sexual diseases

In a phone conversation with activists posing as customers, the trafficker says the girl is doing it to fund her father’s medical expense. (News18)
A disturbing racket involving trafficking of a minor girl for sexual exploitation, fuelled by a dangerous and harmful superstition, has been exposed in Mysuru. Two individuals, including a woman, have been arrested. The accused were reportedly demanding Rs 20 lakh for sexual contact with the minor, according to activists from the Odanadi Seva Samsthe, Parashu and Stanley, who were part of the joint operation with the police and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
Exploiting a Vile Superstition
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The core of the racket rested on a vile and baseless superstition that having the first sexual contact with a virgin girl can cure various mental and sexual diseases. The arrested individuals capitalised on the dangerous myth, targeting pubescent minor girls for profit. The goal was to push the minor into prostitution by advertising her under this pretext.
“They were demanding Rs 20 lakh, essentially saying ‘you can do whatever you want with the girl for this price’. This entire operation was based on the exploitation of a dangerous superstition. We had only heard about such cases happening in other countries, but now we have seen it first-hand and successfully rescued the girl,” said Stanley and Parashu.
In a phone conversation with activists posing as customers, the trafficker says the girl is doing it to fund her father’s medical expense. “She is well built, there is no issue. Money is her problem. We are not taking any commission since she is doing it for her father’s hospital expenses. If you take her to a hotel it will lead to problems, house would be a safe place,” she is heard saying.
Following credible information, the Odanadi Seva Samsthe, the CWC, and the police conducted a joint operation leading to the arrest of two individuals. The arrested have been identified as Shobha, a resident of Bengaluru, and her accomplice, Thulasikumar.
The Odanadi activists suspect a large network is operating behind this crime, potentially using online platforms to coordinate the illegal activities, which they noted are often heard of in other countries. A case has been registered at the Vijayanagar Police Station in Mysuru. Police are currently interrogating the accused to uncover the full extent of the network involved in the trafficking and exploitation. The minor girl has been rescued and is now in a safe location.
About the Author

Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi…Read More
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi… Read More
Mysore, India, India
September 30, 2025, 15:30 IST
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