I am The GoanCitizen Journalist Ricardo Rebello was not off the mark when he brought back tothe public eye the rampant sex trade that was going on under the garb of spa,massage parlours and beauty parlours in North Goa’s beach chain. Sample this.When you enter Shamile beautiful women and girls greet you offering everythingfrom facial massage to Brazilian bikini line aroma waxing. Why men in hordeswould line up for aroma waxing is baffling?
The owner of the spa called Shamile, Maria Mishra and theowner of Simron, raided two years ago, are one and the same. On October 9, 2010a Goa police team led by PI Nalosco Raposo had busted an inter-state sex racketafter tip-off from Manipur police and rescued 11 girls from abeauty-cum-massage parlour at Candolim. The Women and Child Protection teamalso arrested five boys employed at the parlour. Manipur Police had written toGoa Police in the wake of several cases wherein north eastern women and girlsare trafficked in Goa, Calangute Police Inspector Naolasco Raposo said thatlady named Mahalaxmi Mishra was running the same Massage parlor business in thesame premises at Candolim, called ‘Simron’. “When it was raided two years ago,she got the high court order and again inaugurated the massage parlor with adifferent name ‘Shamile’.”
Candolim village panchayat members have sought cooperationfrom Calangute police to keep strict vigil on the parlour. “Putting the timerestriction is important to control the any illicit activities in the parlour”,says Raposo. The spa is on police watch list again and is being closelymonitored. But the hordes of young men on bikes virtually lined up outside isenough to cause suspicion.
Candolim Sarpanch Ana Maria has said that gram sabha in Julyhad taken the resolution to revoke the license of this massage parlor. She alsosaid that the panchayat has sent a notice to the parlour to show cause why itshouldn’t be shut. “Since we had given the conditional license and the ownerhas not yet responded we will revoke the license of the parlor next fewdays” the sarpanch informed.
Fermino Fernandes, panch member of the village panchayatsaid that the owner of the parlour has four outlets in the North Goa. “We havemet the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary, the DGP but no action has beentaken against this parlour. “Just look at the amazing political influence theowner of the parlour has,” Fernandes said. “The owners of all these parlourshave political clout. The owner of Lotus parlour (in Porvorim) was scot freedays after we raided the place” says Audia Viegas of Bailancho Saad, who hadthe police to raid the place and free the hapless girls.
Sources in the Porvorim police station have informed thatlocals in the vicinity of the parlour owned by the same person, have complainedat the police station alleging that the parlour is a front for flesh trade.Maria alias Mahalaxmi Mishra, cannot be traced. The Goan asked about herwhereabouts at the reception of theShamile parlour but employees there refused to give the contact and address ofthe owner.
