Lucknow: Sex racket busted in Hussainganj hotel

LUCKNOW: Nine persons, including the manager of a hotel, were arrested from Hussainganj in the small hours of Tuesday for allegedly running a sex racket that triggered drunken brawls in the largely residential neighbourhood.
The six men and three women were handed over to police by a group of Udayganj residents who stormed the hotel, where the racket was allegedly being running for two months, around 12.30am.The hotel is located a stone’s throw from the police station and manager Ashraf Ali, alias Mithun, is the suspected kingpin.

“Shady groups of men and women frequented the place 24/7. There were drunken brawls quite often. Our women and children found it difficult to venture out after dusk,” complained Pradeep Kesarwani, whose house is bang opposite the hotel.

Residents said things went out of control on Monday night when two groups clashed in the middle of the road over a payment dispute. “They were drunk and hurling choicest of expletives. We objected to their behaviour and were abused in return. That is when we decided enough was enough,” said Mohammad Sufiyan.
Mohammad Zeeshan, another resident, said they caught hold of the unruly group, along with the hotel manager, and dialled 100 to alert police. “Some of the men were threatening us of dire consequences. We had to act,” he said.
Hussainganj SHO Anil Kumar identified the hotel manager as Ashraf Ali, alias Mithun. “We suspect he is the kingpin of the racket. All nine have been booked under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act,” Kumar said.
Police sources said the hotel was being run from the ground and first floors of a four-storey building for the past few years. Ali had taken the hotel portion on rent two months ago.