The NTR district police have cracked the whip on spas, massage centres and parlours, which were found to be running flesh trade in 2023.
“As many as 200 spas, massage centres and parlours, which were found to be organising prostitution, have been closed down in Vijayawada in 2023. Instructions have been given to keep a vigil on the activities of other spas and massage centres running under the Commisionerate limits,” said Police Commissioner Kranthi Rana Tata.
Giving the details of the cases registered under the NTR Police Commissionerate, at a press conference on Friday, Mr. Kanthi Rana said, “Raids were conducted on spas and massage centres. The police seized the mobile phones of the organisers and customers who were found to be indulging on flesh trade, and the victims were rescued,” he said.
The modus operandi of the accused was to attract customers over phone calls and online websites. The victims belonged to Delhi, Hyderabad, Noida, Gurgaon and other places were, the Police Commissioner said.
“In all, 12,380 cases have been registered this year, as against 15,329 cases last year, in the NTR Police Commissionerate. As many as 697 persons involved in ganja smuggling and peddling were arrested, and 1,400 kgs of ganja, worth about ₹58.80 lakh has been confiscated,” Mr. Kanthi Rana said.
In the year 2023, police opened new rowdy, history and suspect sheets against 79 criminals. PD Act was invoked against 10 rowdy and history sheeters and 35 criminals were externed from the Commissionerate limits.
This year, the police booked 770 cases of crime against women and children compared to 911 cases last year. This year, 76 cases have been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PCOSO) Act, 2012, as compared to the 79 cases booked in the previous year, the Police Commissioner explained.
The police registered 156 cyber crime cases, five NDPS Act cases, 85 kidnaps, 29 murders, 42 attempts to murder, 482 cases of outraging of modesty, 1,056 cases under dowry harassment, Mr. Kanthi Rana said.
“Police arrested about 2,000 persons on drunken driving charges, and the courts awarded seven to 15 days imprisonment to 389 accused. About 430 minors were given counselling for driving vehicles, and 31,000 triple riding cases have been registered,” the Police Commissioner said and appealed to the parents not to give bikes and cars to minors. There are over 4,000 CCTV cameras in and around Vijayawada, and if anyone resorts to drunken driving or rash driving, the police will book cases based on the CCTV footage, he warned.
Deputy Commissioners of Police Vishal Gunni and Ajita Vajendla and other police officers were present.
