Pune, 12 February 2026: Police conducted a major midnight combing operation in the Budhwar Peth red-light area to crack down on illegal activities. Acting on specific inputs about unlawful prostitution, involvement of foreign nationals, and the presence of minors, police teams carried out coordinated searches across the locality late Tuesday night.
During the operation, police searched 41 buildings and verified the identities of over 700 women and men found in the area. In addition, five checkpoints were set up around Budhwar Peth, where nearly 460 men and several vehicles were inspected as part of the intensified security and surveillance measures.
The police detained two suspected Bangladeshi women and took some minor girls into protective custody for further inquiry. At one of the checkpoints, a 31-year-old man was arrested after police recovered seven grams of charas and three injections suspected to be narcotic substances from his possession.
A case has been registered at Faraskhana Police Station in connection with the seizure.
The operation was conducted on the orders of Amitesh Kumar and involved teams from the Crime Branch and Zone One, along with personnel from multiple police stations. Senior officers supervised the action on the ground to ensure thorough execution.
Police officials stated that the drive was aimed at curbing illegal businesses, human trafficking, and drug-related offences in the area. They added that similar combing operations will continue in the coming days to maintain law and order and to take strict action against those involved in unlawful activities.