Noida police shut down 200-odd spa centres in city

Noida: After three prostitution rings allegedly running through some spa centres were busted in the last two months, Noida police have shut down the operation of all such establishments in the city till further orders

Noida: After three prostitution rings allegedly running through some spa centres were busted in the last two months, Noida police have shut down the operation of all such establishments in the city till further orders.

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Police officials said that they are working to develop ethical guidelines for such establishments. Noida has over 200 spa centres in the city, said police.

“There are no separate licences for owners to run spa centres. Illicit activities are taking place in most of these establishments. In order to better control the situation, we have shut down all the spas in the city until further notice,” said Kumar Rannvijay Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police, zone 1.

The officials said that most of these places advertise online for illegal services while also rely on word of mouth publicity. All the raids in the last two months have been conducted using decoy customers, they said.

All the spas will be investigated before they are allowed to resume services, said police.

Singh also said that if owners start work without the due process, action will be taken against them and also against the local police who have been tasked to ensure that they remain shut.

On February 3, 12 spa centres in a mall in Sector 18 had been raided by Sector 20 police following which four people were arrested and a case of human trafficking was also registered as the women working at these establishments had alleged that they were being forced into prostitution against their will.

On February 16, five people, including four women, had been arrested by Sector 24 police for allegedly luring victims on the pretext of providing escort services and then robbing or extorting money from them.

On April 1, another spa was raided in a mall in Sector 61 from where 13 women were rescued while 10 people, including a female manager, were booked and sent to jail.

Following the raids in February, Noida police had begun to crack down on all establishments providing illicit services. All the people arrested earlier for running such operations are also being questioned while more such groups are being identified, police said, adding that action is also being taken against people using such facilities.