VIJAYAWADA: With the Vijayawada city police failing to act tough against prostitution rackets which are being operated unabated in the guise of beauty parlours and massage centres in residential areas in posh localities under Machavaram, Patamata and Penamaluru police station limits, Director General of Police (DGP) Kasireddy Rajendranath Reddy entrusted and instructed the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) to carry out raids on the massage centres.
On Tuesday, as many as 10 teams of 67 SEB officials raided as many as six massage and spa centres located under the three police station limits and took 25 men into custody and rescued 27 women including three Thailand nationals. The SEB officials later handed over the arrested to police concerned and asked to register cases against them under the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, 1956.
Speaking to TNIE, the DGP said necessary action would be initiated against the officials concerned for their impassive behaviour towards the illegal business activities happening in their jurisdiction. The SEB officials will be submitting a detailed report on the local police failure to control such anti-social activities in their jurisdiction and measures taken by them. “During the primary investigation, the SEB officials observed that local police colluded with the organisers of these massage parlour and spa owners and turned a blind eye over the illegal business. This is the second time where Vijayawada city police failed to act tough despite many complaints received from the public,” said DGP Rajendranath Reddy.
Earlier, there were allegations that Patamata police colluded with a spa owner and protected him from taking action against him though an Additional Commissioner of Police (ADCP) rank officer recommended to register cases against him as he is notorious in such activities.
According to sources, it is also learnt that DGP Rajendranath Reddy reportedly instructed officials to seek an explanation from NTR District Commissioner of Police Kanthi Rana Tata as to why the concerned police unit failed to prevent and control such activities despite repeated instructions.
