Chennithala warns of action against illegal spas, sex rackets

Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Thursday warned of stringent police action against illegal spas and those involved in criminal intimidation, extortion and sex rackets operating under their guise.

His remarks came in the wake of the gang rape of a woman who was allegedly lured to Kalamassery in Kochi on the pretext of a job at a spa.

"Stringent action will be taken by the police. Instructions have already been given to the DGP, who is examining the matter," Chennithala told reporters while responding to questions about the incident.

Complaints have been received about fraud, sexual assaults and intimidation taking place under the guise of spas in many places of Keralam, he said.

"This cannot be accepted in any manner. There are people operating without any licence by putting up a board identifying themselves as spas. The highest number of such complaints have been reported from Ernakulam. Complaints of this nature are also coming from Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram," he said.

Strong police action would be taken as exploitation taking place under the guise of spas cannot be accepted, Chennithala said, adding that there were also complaints of money extortion and sex rackets.

"The police will conduct a strong investigation," he added.

Police said two accused in connection with the gang rape case Saranya alias Ammu and Sanju were apprehended on Tuesday night in Wayanad.

Police had already arrested two of the accused, identified as Sreeraj and Jith Martin, and remanded them to judicial custody.

The crime occurred on October 2, and four people were allegedly involved in the assault, police said on Monday.

The survivor informed her partner about the incident and later lodged a complaint with the police.

Police said an investigation was underway and they were working to establish the full sequence of events.

The partner of the survivor on Tuesday made shocking revelations about the harrowing assault suffered by the woman.

While speaking to reporters in Kochi, he said the survivor returned home severely injured with a swollen face after she went out in connection with a promised job.

The partner alleged that four people, including a woman, assaulted her and more people entered the room later.

Only after she broke a beer bottle and threatened to kill herself if the assault continued did the attackers stop, her partner had said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.