Mangaluru : Kadri police have arrested three persons and five women including a college student on charges of prostitution here on Saturday, April 11.

The raid was conducted in a flat located on the third floor of an apartment at Kudkorigudde. A woman who allegedly used to supply ladies to the male customers was also arrested.

The police had received credible information about the racket, after which they kept an eye on the apartment for about a week. Based on a tip off, the police raided the flat on Saturday and arrested Bikarnakatte resident Praveen, Prakash of Attavar, Manju hailing from Gadag and Hazeera, the alleged pimp.

Among the detained, two women are from Mysuru, another two from Subrahmanya and a college girl, said to be a local. The women have been shifted to a counselling centre in the city. It is said that the pimp had bought the house on rent two months ago.

The operation was led by inspector K V Nagaraj and SI Rafiq along with other police personnel.

All the four accused have been booked under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act 1956. The five rescued women will be used as witnesses for the case, the police said.