5 spa salons raided, 10 held & 13 rescued

Guwahati: Police arrested 10 people and rescued 13 victims after coordinated raids on five unisex spa salons in the city allegedly involved in prostitution, officials said Thursday. Those arrested include salon owners.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shambhavi Mishra said the operations were carried out on Jan 20 with teams from Panbazar Police Station, Chandmari PS, Paltan Bazar PS and Geetanagar PS at multiple locations under their jurisdictions.


“We have arrested 10 persons and rescued 13 victims in five separate cases. This is an ongoing investigation, and such illegal activities will not be tolerated under the watch of Guwahati Police,” Mishra said.

Mishra added that police recovered objectionable items during the raids. “During questioning, several women associated with the spa centres told investigators that they had taken up the work due to financial hardship,” she added.

She said many of the women came from remote areas seeking employment. “In one case, a family member of a spa owner, who was seeking a job, was allegedly pushed into the racket,” she added.

Police have found that a number of spa centres in the city are involved in sex rackets, including some operated by women owners, Mishra said.

Police said further investigation is underway and more arrests may follow.