Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Police has initiated raids on spa centers, commercial buildings, and hotels across the state following instructions given by the Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghvi, through a video conference to completely eradicate the practice of human trafficking under the guise of hotels and spas in the state. As part of this special operation, police teams conducted simultaneous raids at 851 locations in a single day.

During the actions taken by the police, 103 FIRs were filed against 152 suspects from various parts of the state. Of the 152 suspects, 105 have been arrested and faced legal action. Additionally, the police have taken steps to revoke the licenses of 27 spa centers and hotels.

On October 17, Minister of State for Home Shri Harsh Sanghvi held a video conference with all Superintendents of Police, Range Officers, Police Commissioners, Joint Commissioners of Police, and Deputy Commissioners of Police to coordinate efforts to combat illegal spa and human trafficking activities. These raids on suspicious establishments began statewide on October 18, and this enforcement action will continue until such activities are entirely eradicated in the state.

In Vadodara, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) and Zone 2 Local Crime Branch (LCB) took action against illicit activities in a residential area on Old Padra Road. During the raid, four girls were rescued from prostitution, and one individual was arrested, while another remains at large. Additionally, the AHTU initiated legal proceedings against two other spa operators for violating regulations. This illegal establishment was charging customers between 4,000 and 5,000 rupees. Legal action was taken against Mohammad Saifuddin Kamaruddin, while Vipul Goswami has been declared a wanted fugitive.

In Surat, specialized teams were assembled, and meticulously planned raids were carried out based on information about illegal prostitution activities being concealed within spas. The crackdown resulted in over 50 cases being reported at various spas in a single day.

Rajkot police formed separate teams and coordinated joint raids on spas operating within the city. During inspections of 50 spas, spa managers were put on notice as they witnessed heightened scrutiny. Furthermore, sources indicate that future raid operations will be ongoing. DeshGujarat