Keralam launches ‘Operation Spa’ after abuse cases, 14 cases registered

Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has announced a statewide crackdown on spas operating without proper authorisation, as police investigate recent cases of alleged sexual abuse and exploitation at such establishments.

The campaign, called ‘Operation Spa’, is being led by Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) P Vijayan. Police have registered 14 cases against spa establishments under various charges. Of the 821 registered spas in the state, 586 were inspected on Saturday, and notices were issued to 44 establishments for violations, including inadequate documentation. Eight people allegedly brought to spas through human trafficking were identified; some reported facing sexual harassment, police sources said.

The Home Minister said that the government was considering legislation to regulate spas and that police were treating the identification of unauthorised establishments as a priority. He said many spas had opened under the Shops and Establishments Act without meeting other legal requirements.

Chennithala said that authorities lacked clarity about who was setting up some of the spas and what activities were taking place there. He alleged that women from Keralam, and other states were being brought to work at certain establishments, where they and their families were exploited. Complaints about spa operations had risen in recent days, he said, adding that the government would take legal action against establishments operating without licences or accountability.

The crackdown follows two recent cases: the alleged sexual abuse of a 16-year-old girl at a spa in Kovalam and the alleged gang rape of a woman at a spa in Kalamassery. In the latter case, a 20-year-old Dalit woman who had been offered a job as a manager at an Ayurvedic spa was allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted by at least three men and a woman over nearly two days.

A nine-member special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the abuse of the minor from Andhra Pradesh at spas in Keralam. The team will examine visitor records to identify others who may have been involved and is expected to visit Chennai to review CCTV footage linked to the exploitation of the survivor at a spa in Guduvanchery.

The SIT includes officers from the Crime Branch and Narcotics Cell. Kollam Inspector is the investigating officer, Thiruvananthapuram Fort Assistant Commissioner of Police K Pradeep said.

“Further investigation is underway to establish the involvement of others in the case. We are examining the details available to us, and more information will emerge as the probe progresses,” Pradeep said.

Police are also examining the possible involvement of a city corporation health inspector who, preliminary findings suggest, had repeatedly communicated with Nishanth, one of the arrested spa owners. Investigators are looking into the nature of the alleged contact and whether any official had a role in the case.

Meanwhile, the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) has called for the closure of fake Ayurveda spas and massage parlours operating under the guise of Ayurveda. The association said illegal activities, including alleged sex trafficking, had been reported at establishments that operate without qualified professionals.