Team Herald
PANJIM: Following the alleged rape of a US national, Goa Police have initiated an inquiry on all yoga and ayurvedic centres in the Pernem beach belt.
A senior police officer said they are conducting an inquiry of all such centres in Pernem and found that in Arambol itself there are at least 21 such yoga and ayurvedic centres operating, whereas Mandrem has 14 and Morjim, three.
“We are inquiring into the legal aspects of such establishments operating in violation of rules and regulations,” Pernem Police Inspector Rahul Parab said.
Almost all such centres are operated and run by persons who come to Goa during the tourist season.
The centres are also advertised on the web with a number of operators having hosted special websites of their yoga and ayurvedic centres.
There are a few genuine centers operated by professionals from Kerala who are experts in ayurvedic massages but the inquiry found that a large number of establishments are operating without permissions.
Police had arrested Pratik Agarwal from Korgao following a complaint from a US national that she has been raped by the yoga instructor when she had gone of ‘tantrik massage’.
Police found that Agarwal was operating the yoga centre without valid permissions from local panchayat as well as from Directorate of Health. Parab said an inquiry is underway on the legality of the yoga center and rape case.
