Within hours of the police detaining two Thai women during a raid at a spa center, the District Magistrate (DM) of Jammu on Wednesday issued an order regulating spa and massage centers to prevent immoral activities.
On Tuesday, Jammu Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and detained several individuals, including two women from Thailand, following a raid at a spa center in the Narwal area. The action was taken in connection with alleged violations of immigration laws and suspected illegal activities.
SP City South Jammu, Dr. Ajay Sharma, confirmed that several individuals were detained in connection with the raid conducted at the spa center on the outskirts of Jammu city.
Reports said the action was taken late Tuesday evening after police received credible inputs that foreign nationals were residing and working at the spa without valid travel documents or mandatory permissions.
During the operation, police teams conducted a thorough search of the premises and scrutinised the establishment’s registers and records.
An FIR (No. 44/2026) has been registered under Sections 21 and 24 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. “Further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of any wider network,” a police officer said.
Police also seized Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and other incriminating material from the spa for forensic examination. Several persons found at the premises were detained for questioning as part of the ongoing probe.
According to officials, the raid was carried out following repeated complaints alleging illegal and immoral activities at certain spa centers in the city.
Earlier detention of a Thai woman
This is the second instance in the last two months in which Thai women have been detained for allegedly working illegally in spa and massage centers in Jammu.
On December 28, 2025, a similar operation was conducted at a spa center in the Channi Himmat area, where a Thai woman was detained and another individual from Kurukshetra, Haryana, was booked. In that case, the spa owner, Jai Singh of Kurukshetra, was booked under FIR No. 237/2025 at Police Station Channi Himmat under Section 24 of the Immigration Act and Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for keeping a foreign national without permission or prior intimation to the authorities.
In the latest incident at a spa center in Narwal, police have detained two Thai women and initiated further investigations to verify their immigration status and the role of other persons associated with the spa.
Mumbai woman shot dead in spa centre
On August 21, 2025, Mehjabeen Sheikh, 30, a resident of Mumbai, was shot dead at a spa centre on the outskirts of Jammu.
The incident occurred when Mehjabeen Sheikh, along with her sister Fatima Akil, 21, and Jaspreet Kour, 28, of Ludhiana, were admitted to a private nursing home in Channi Himmat with bullet injuries. A police team was immediately dispatched to the hospital to investigate the matter. Mehjabeen later succumbed to her injuries at Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
It was later revealed that local police had allegedly attempted to misrepresent the bullet injuries as resulting from a road accident. Consequently, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch. Three police officials — Inspector Deepak Pathania and Sub-Inspectors Wasim Bhatti and Rohit Sharma — who allegedly tried to cover up the murder, have been suspended.
DM Jammu issues order regulating spa, massage centres
To regulate the functioning of spa and massage centres and prevent their misuse for unlawful and immoral activities, the District Magistrate, Jammu, Dr. Rakesh Minhas, has issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
The order was promulgated in view of reports that certain spa and massage centers operating in the Jammu district were allegedly being used for immoral activities, prostitution, and other unlawful acts, thereby posing a threat to public order and safety.
The order defines a spa/massage center as any premises, establishment, shop, clinic, or commercial space, by whatever name called, that offers or claims to offer massage, body therapy, spa therapy, wellness therapy, relaxation services, ayurvedic therapy, physiotherapy (other than those run by qualified and registered medical practitioners), or similar services, whether for consideration or otherwise. The directions shall apply to all such establishments operating within the territorial jurisdiction of district Jammu.
As per the order, engaging in any form of immoral activity within the premises is strictly prohibited. Cross-gender massage shall not be permitted. Male masseurs may provide massage only to male clients, and female masseurs only to female clients.
The order further stipulates that no internal locks, latches, bolts, or locking mechanisms shall be installed in treatment rooms, and spa or massage services shall not be provided behind locked doors. Installation of CCTV cameras at entry points, reception areas, and common areas, excluding private rooms, has been made mandatory, with a minimum recording retention period of 30 days.
The order also directs that no center shall operate before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm. No female employee shall use the premises as a residence or for an overnight stay. The supply or consumption of alcohol or any other intoxicant within the premises has been prohibited.
All customers must produce valid identity proof, and a proper register containing their contact details must be maintained. All employees shall wear identity cards issued by the employer during working hours, and the employer shall maintain a register of all employees. No person below 18 years of age shall be engaged.
Further, all owners, managers, and employees, including therapists, receptionists, and support staff, must undergo police verification.
The order has come into force with immediate effect and shall remain operative for eight weeks from the date of issuance, unless withdrawn, modified, or rescinded earlier. The district administration reiterated its commitment to maintaining public order and ensuring that all commercial establishments operate strictly in accordance with the law.
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