All massage parlours will be shut down in Goa from June 6: CM

All massage parlours will be banned in Goa from Monday (June 6) Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, added that cross massages (women massaging men and vice versa) would also not be allowed in the coastal state.

The development comes days after 11 tourists from Maharashtra were brutally beaten up by massage parlour operators in Mapusa town in North Goa.

The Chief Minister also said that only spas and beauty parlours were licenced to operate in the state, along with registered ayurvedic spas, adding that massage parlours were illegally operating in Goa, under the garb of "health services".

“From tomorrow there will be a crackdown on all illegal massage parlours. There is no licensing under the category of a massage parlour. While we have registered spas, if there are any illegal massage parlours we will crackdown on them," the Chief Minister told reporters here.

“If they have officially registered as a spa and if there are no cross massages… only beauty parlour, spas are officially allowed. Ayurvedic spas have to be officially registered and should have a registered practitioner operating them for them to be allowed,” he also said.

The Chief Minister also said that action would be taken against in-charges of police stations if massage parlours were found operating illegally in their jurisdiction.
"The police inspector (station in charge) will be held accountable. If not there will be action against him. All illegalities will be stopped," the Chief Minister said, adding that the move was being undertaken to ensure that Goa was a safe tourism destination.

Sawant also warned of action against prostitution activities in the state, while reacting to a viral video where tourists were being solicited for paid sex.

“The police are monitoring and pro-actively action is being taken. During the next tourism season police will keep an eye on such activities in civilian clothes,” Sawant said.