CALANGUTE: A spa near St Joseph High School at Calangute, which was allegedly a front for immoral activities, was forced to shut down a vigilante-style action by locals on Monday evening.
A group of five women employees who were present inside the spa escaped through a back door when the locals confronted the manager of the spa at the front entrance.
Locals said, “The management claimed that they have a provisional licence to operate the spa, but pointed out there is no such provision in the Panchayat Raj Act.” “We are forced to act because the panchayat is not taking any action against these places which are hubs of immoral activities. All the so-called dance bars and massage parlours have brought shame on Calangute. This must be stopped,” the locals said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Superintendent of Police Vishwesh Karpe, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Porvorim, conducted inspection of massage parlours and wellness centres situated under Calangute Police Station jurisdiction on Monday evening, following allegations that many of the spas and massage parlours at Calangute are functioning without valid permissions.
Calangute PI Paresh Naik, Health Inspector Kamlakant Parsekar, representative of Village Panchayat Calangute Shekhar Palyekar were also present during the inspection of four centres – Leline Exotic Centre at Tittos lane, SOI Thai, near Snow Park, Buddha Spa at Bharat junction, De Flora at Bharat junction, and Ayurvedic Massage Treatment Centre near PHC Candolim, police said.
The staff present at the spas and wellness centres except De Flora Spa, could not produce the requisite documents for operating spa and wellness centres. However, they produced provisional certificates and informed that their licences are in process. The owners were instructed to shut down operations in absence of valid licences, police said.
