The Hyderabad police on Tuesday banned body massage of men by women with effect from July 1. Hyderabad police commissioner A K Khan told the media that the massage parlours had become prostitution centers with women masseurs brought from Mumbai and Kolkata. The parlours were bringing them to Hyderabad promising them employment and later forcing them into flesh trade. Last week the task force of the city police conducted raids on massage parlours and rescued sex workers, including some foreign nationals, he said.
He said the massage centers have become synonymous for obscenity and prostitution and there is an emergent need to ban them to avoid spreading of anti social activities in Hyderabad. It may be mentioned that several people were arrested for indulging in prostitution in the recent Task Forde raids on several massage centers in the city.
Khan said new licenses would not be granted for massage centers employing women and licenses for such centers cancelled from July 1. “We have the right to ban such centers under sections 68, 70 and 74 of the Hyderabad Police Act for preventing obscenity –related activities in the state Capital,” he said adding bar dances also would be banned.
