Acting on a tip-off regarding a suspected sex trafficking operation, Ballari district police, led by Superintendent of Police Shobha Rani, conducted a decisive raid on Saturday. The location—a spa functioning within a private hotel—was found to be the centre of illegal activities.

During the operation, law enforcement personnel rescued three women who were allegedly being exploited. The victims hail from Dehradun in Uttarakhand, Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, and a district in Madhya Pradesh. The rescue has drawn attention to the inter-state nature of the trafficking network involved.

Two individuals were apprehended at the scene—one resident of Ballari and another from Gangavathi in the neighbouring Koppal district. Authorities believe they played direct roles in facilitating the illicit operation. However, the main orchestrator of the trafficking ring, identified as B Mohammed Matil from Ballari, managed to evade arrest and is currently on the run.

The coordinated effort included senior police officers, such as the Deputy Superintendent of Police, the Inspector of the Cyber, Economic and Narcotics (CEN) Crime Station, and the Inspector of the Gandhinagar Police Station. The Gandhinagar station has officially registered a case under relevant legal provisions.

Police are intensifying their manhunt for the prime accused and have vowed to dismantle the broader network linked to this racket. Authorities have also urged the public to report suspicious activities in spas or similar establishments.