Bhopal, April 6 -- The Madhya Pradesh Police has issued a landmark directive instructing officials not to treat women engaged in sex work as accused during hotel raids, emphasizing that they should be considered victims of exploitation rather than criminals.
In an order issued by Pragya Richa Srivastava, Director General of Police (Women Safety), law enforcement personnel have been explicitly instructed to stop arresting or harassing women found offering sexual services during raids on hotels and similar establishments.
"We have observed that in cases registered under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act 1956, hotel and dhaba operators running their premises as brothels for profit are the actual offenders. However, women apprehended durin...