Follow norms or face music, Ludhiana police tell city spa centres

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 18

The Ludhiana police issued strict orders to spa centres and massage parlours, asking them to adhere to the norms else warned them of legal action.

DCP (Rural and Headquarters) Jaskiranjit Singh Teja while exercising the powers of the Executive Magistrate under Section 144 of the CrPc issued orders that state that: “Sometimes, some of the owners/managers of spa centres and massage parlours falling within the jurisdiction of the Police Commissionerate, Ludhiana, are indulging in carrying out anti-social activities in contravention of law at such centres. They are entertaining people without proper identification and providing them illegal services, which fall under various offences of the IPC and other local and special Acts. To prevent any annoyance, injury to any person and danger to the human life and to check illegal activities of anti-social elements and further keeping in view the public safety, hereby directing all spa centres and massage parlours to comply with the guidelines”

The DCP further stated that all owners of the spa and massage centres should put good quality day and night CCTV cameras to cover all entry and exit points and also clients at reception desk, with DVR storage of up to 30 days with UPS backup. The owners should be responsible to maintain the record of every customer visiting the centre in a register/computer and a copy of identity proof should be kept along with working mobile number of the client. The owner should ensure police verification of all employees working at the centre, including foreign workers, if any, along with record of copies of necessary documents such as Aadhaar card and passport. The owners shall ensure that foreign workers working in their establishments are on proper visa, which enables them to work in the country. There should not be any secret entry or exit gates or secret cabins in the establishments.

The orders also mention that the owners should be jointly responsible for ensuring that no violation of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, The Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences, 2012, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and Indian Penal Code (IPC) etc, is committed on their premises.

“The owners should also ensure that no alcoholic beverages are served at the centres and no abuse of intoxicating substances or drugs masqueraded as hookah bar are allowed at such places. For the above purpose, the owners include the owner of the property as well as of the massage and spa centres,” the orders state.

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