Rs 500 trap, 1:40 am missed call: How undercover cops busted Manali sex racket

A missed call at 1:40 a.m. on December 22, 2025, led to the apprehension of individuals involved in a sex racket in Manali. Two undercover cops in civilian attire, posing as customers, used marked Rs 500 notes to trap the perpetrators. They were instructed to make a missed call once the money was accepted. The operation was initiated after police received information about sex workers operating around Mall Road and the Manali bus stand.

At approximately 1:40 a.m., one of the decoys made the call and disclosed their location to the police. As a result, officers arrived at the scene and arrested seven women and two men. According to the prosecution, the rescued women were lured to Manali under false pretenses of domestic-work opportunities but were subsequently forced into prostitution.

The accused man, who sought bail, was arrested and later appealed to the Himachal Pradesh High Court. The court, in an August 19 order, rejected his bail plea, stating that inducing a person to become a sex worker constitutes the worst degradation of humanity and objectifies the human body. The court emphasized that releasing the accused could encourage similar offenses and harm society.