New Delhi, May 26 (IANS): A 19-year-old girl, who was raped on the pretext of marriage, has been rescued from the clutches of a prostitution racket, police said on Tuesday. Three people have been arrested in this connection.

Shahjahan, 27, a resident of West Bengal, Nafees, 28, and a 27-year-old sex worker were arrested on charges of human trafficking.

Police said Shahjahan was also booked under charges of rape.

"The teenaged girl was rescued from east Delhi's Welcome area. She was being beaten up by two-three people when police reached there after getting a call," Deputy Commissioner of Police Veenu Bansal said.

The girl, a resident of West Bengal, told police she was lured by Shahjahan on the pretext of marriage.

"Her father had died and her mother stays in her native village. She left her house on May 19 along with Shahjahan. They reached Old Delhi the next day. She was taken to a hotel near Jama Masjid and was sexually assaulted by Shahjahan on the pretext of marriage," Bansal said.

The girl was later forced into prostitution by the three people.

"Investigation of the case revealed that it was a well-organised plan for trafficking innocent girls on the pretext of marriage. These girls belong to rural areas of West Bengal," the official said.