Hyderabad, Oct. 12 -- BY AJAY MALLAREDDY

On 6 October, five women escaped from a women's welfare hostel in Aarilova, Visakhapatnam, after cutting through a window grille. They had reportedly been placed there after being rescued in trafficking cases.

This was hardly unusual.

In October 2024, six women escaped from a Swadhar Home in Pendurthi, also in Visakhapatnam. Police described five as victims in an interstate trafficking case. They had been placed in the home under court orders for counselling and rehabilitation. It was the second escape from the facility that month.

In Hyderabad in February 2022, 14 women placed in an Ujjawala rescue home after cases under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act broke open a bathroom grille and sca...