Mumbai: In a major crackdown as part of the ongoing drive against prostitution by minors, city police raided six places, including two well-known dance bars, rescuing 27 minors while detaining over 70 bar girls for age verification.

Nearly 20 persons accompanying these girls were arrested in the drive, conducted last night (July 15,2004), jointly by the social service branch and local police stations, police said today (July 16,2004). Police raided three brothels on the V P Road in South Mumbai, rescuing 11 minors and arresting three managers and five pimps.

Another raid on a brothel in Nagpada led to the release of 12 minors, they said. Later in the night, police teams raided 'Carnival Dance Bar' in Worli and 'Golden Goose Dance Bar' in Gamdevi, they said adding, in the second case, four minors were rescued and 13 dancers and five waiters were detained while in Carnival, 58 dancers; five waiters and a manager were detained.

71 bar dancers detained would be subjected to medical examination to ascertain if any of them is a minor, police said adding, over 70 customers, who were also detained following the raids, were later released.

With 39 minor girls already rescued in earlier operations during the week, the figure after fresh raids has risen to 66. Police had, on July 14, rescued 18 minor girls from two places in the city and arrested seven persons, including three brothel keepers.

Prior to that, on July 12, 21 minor girls were rescued and three persons were arrested by police in two separate raids in different parts of the city.