KOCHI: The police on Thursday raided an ayurvedic massage centre in Vyttila that was allegedly being used to run a sex racket and arrested two persons.
Rajesh M, 48, of Alappuzha and Aneesh, 50, were nabbed in the raid at Punarjani Ayurvedic Spa, which was operating from the ground and first floors of a rented building on Bund Road in Thykoodam. A case was also registered against three others — Ajay P S, 27, of Pindimana in Kothamangalam; Abymon N Ravi, 38, of Keerithode in Idukki, and Bineesh M G, 45, of Kuttampuzha in Kothamangalam — who managed to escape.
The raid was carried out following a tip-off. Police officials said 10 women were found staying on the premises. “The accused had been operating the spa for over six months. We rescued the women. Some of them revealed they were lured with offers of legitimate employment at an ayurveda centre but were later coerced into immoral activities,” an officer said.
A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.