CHENNAI: City Police on Wednesday arrested a 51-year-old woman in connection with the prostitution racket run by a woman who forced her daughter’s classmates from middle and lower-income families into prostitution after grooming them. The arrested person was J Vijayalakshmi (51).

Police had already arrested eight persons in connection with the case. Last week, the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Unit (ITPU) had arrested M Dhandapani, the manager of a hotel in T Nagar, for facilitating the gang.

On May 17, police busted the racket after they investigated a tip-off about a woman from Teynampet running human trafficking ring involving young girls at hotels, lodges and apartments through brokers. During surveillance of a lodge in Valasaravakkam, police confirmed the tip-off and arrested seven persons including the main accused, K Nadhiya (37).

Police rescued two teenagers (aged 18 and 17) from the gang and sent them for counselling.

Nadhiya had targeted her daughter’s classmates from low-income families who were looking for part-time jobs and then groomed them by being friendly with them, taking them to dance classes and beautician courses. The girls were threatened with videos if they said they did not want to be part of the group.

Apart from Nadhiya, police had arrested Sumathi (43), Maya Oli (29), Jayashree (43), Ramachandran (42), and Ramandran (70) – all from Chennai, and Ashok Kumar (31) of Coimbatore.