Cops crack down on salon-cum-brothels

After a salon in Fort, in which a prostitution racket was being run, was busted on Monday, two more 'flesh' parlours were raided by the police yesterday

Cops crack down on salon-cum-brothels

After a salon in Fort, in which a prostitution racket was being run, was busted on Monday, two more 'flesh' parlours were raided by the police yesterday

MONDAY'S successful raid on a brothel being run in a hair salon in Fort has spurred the Mumbai police into initiating a crackdown on the prostitution racket flourishing in the city using beauty salons as fronts. Two other such salons, in Matunga and Khar, were raided by officers yesterday.

Hair Cool Salon, Fort was raided by SSB officials after residents complained of the racket it created

"Both these parlours claimed to be beauty salons but ran a full-fledged prostitution racket inside," said Vasant Dhoble, assistant commissioner of police, Social Service Branch (SSB). "We have rescued a total of 11 women from both parlours."

Manhunt

Acting on a tip-off, an SSB team raided Impression Parlour opposite the Matunga (West) station and Goodman Salon and Healthcare at 15th Road in Khar yesterday. Both parlours have been in existence for close to five years.

"Both places were visited by the office-going crowd from the neighbourhood," said a police official attached to the investigation.

The managers and cashiers of both the salons were arrested and booked under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA).

"The owners of both salons are absconding and we have launched a manhunt for them. The women were given meagre salaries and the owners pocketed all the money from the illegal business," said the official.

The SSB has also approached the BMC to check out the licences issued to the salons. Since they have a shop license, they do not require permission from the police.

They have also appealed to citizens to approach them with information about such parlours in their neighbourhood.

"Citizens can be good informers and can give us details of their locality. We have received a good response from residents," said the officer.

CP's Push
During his interactions with residents and local groups, Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik received several complaints from residents about indecent and obscene activities being carried out in their neighbourhoods. This played a major role in the crackdown being initiated.

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