Nepal Police has arrested Aarati Shah Raya of Biratnagar-15 the proprietor of the New Bus Park Hotel in Itahari Bus Park for operating sex trade at the hotel and is preparing to press human trafficking charges against her and others involved. Along with her, police arrested Om Bahadur Basnet, 50, of Itahari-17 with a woman from Raya's hotel. Ensuing investigations revealed that Raya had started sex trade at her hotel few months ago by taking advantage of slackened police monitoring and had been paying women for having sex with her hotel's guests. Although police had managed to control sex trade in Itahari and surrounding areas over the past two years, the trade has been growing rapidly of late taking advantage of the ongoing Madhes agitation and the Indian blockade. Two months ago, police had also arrested five women and three Indians from Kumari Guest House of Itahari for their involvement in sex trade. And two years ago, police had arrested seven hotel operators at once for their involvement in sex trade. They were also tried on human trafficking charges. "Sex trade had come under control after we had arrested seven hotel operators at the same time. However, recently some have started sex trade," said DSP Om Adhikari adding that the police "will keep fighting against sex trade and punish whoever are found guilty."