Agra: A club dancer from Ghaziabad was allegedly held captive and raped for three days in a flat in Agra’s Tajganj area. After managing to escape late Friday night, she reported the crime at the Tajganj Police Station. The accused, Vinay Gupta, along with his wife Meera, who is accused of abetting him, have both been arrested. They face multiple charges, including illegal confinement, rape, and drugging.
According to the police, the survivor, a resident of Loni in Ghaziabad, said she was contacted by Vinay Gupta through her event manager, who had offered her a gig to perform at a dance show in Agra. She arrived in the city on 8 October and was taken to Vinay’s flat in Rajkamal Apartments, where his wife Meera was also present.
Meera allegedly served the victim a drink laced with sedatives, causing her to lose consciousness. When she came to, she found herself confined to a single room. Over the next three days, Vinay Gupta allegedly raped her multiple times, while Meera assisted in keeping her captive. Throughout the ordeal, Gupta pressured the victim to engage in sex work, promising her immense wealth if she agreed. He threatened that clients would soon arrive at the flat.
The victim managed to escape the flat Friday night and reached Tajganj Police Station. They responded promptly by raiding the flat and arresting Vinay and Meera Gupta.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Syed Areeb Ahmad, who is heading the investigation, revealed that preliminary findings indicate the accused were operating a sex racket from their apartment and that the couple was allegedly involved in coercing women into sex work.
Residents of Rajkamal Apartments, the police said, had previously raised concerns about suspicious activities at the flat, noting a frequent stream of visitors. On the night of their arrest, the accused allegedly tried to even intimidate the officers initially.
Speaking to the media, ACP Ahmed said that the apartment is suspected to have been regularly used for illegal activities, and law enforcement is now monitoring the area for similar operations in nearby flats. He added that the investigation is ongoing, and further arrests may follow if more individuals are found to be involved in the case.
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Not a first for Tajganj
Over the past five years, Tajganj has witnessed several similar incidents. In 2023, a raid on a massage parlour uncovered a prostitution ring, where young women were lured with promises of modeling careers. In 2020, a high-profile sex trafficking operation was exposed at a luxury hotel in Tajganj, leading to the arrest of several individuals, including foreigners and the hotel owner. In 2019, authorities dismantled an illegal prostitution ring operating from a rented residence on Fatehabad Road, rescuing several women who had been forced into sex work.
Sources indicate that sex trafficking and sex work are widespread in Tajganj. They add that high-end flats in expensive buildings are being rented at exorbitant rates, where women are regularly exploited for illegal activities. Rental prices in the Tajganj area have soared, rivaling those in affluent Noida neighbourhoods. In some cases, rental spaces are converted into temporary spas, serving as fronts for sex work. Despite frequent reports, authorities often take limited action, the sources add, leading to superficial investigations. The criminals frequently change locations, allowing the illicit activities to continue, while the underlying issues remain unaddressed.
ACP Areeb Ahmed stated that the police are intensifying efforts to crack down on illegal operations in the area.
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