Over 40 illegal ladies dance bars from Morjim to Nerul, Calangute PI admits he shut down 15 bars and 28 massage parlours

PANAJI: After the Goa Congress raised a hue and cry on Sunday about the existence of illegal dance bars and massage palours in the North Goa coastal belt, Calangute police inspector Laxi Amonkar claimed he shut down all the 15 dance bars and 28 massage parlours, which were operating without the panchayat trade licence in his jurisdiction.

While we are still to verify Amonkar’s claims, because the bars shut down for a few days (after police action) and then restart secretly once again, there are another 15 to 18 illegal ladies dance bars still in operation in the Vagator, Anjuna and Morjim areas, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Anjuna and Pernem police stations. ALSO READ: SP, DySP, MLA involved in Souza Lobo case: Bhomkar, Chotu operating prostitution biz in Goa

In the Morjim belt, ladies dance bars are operating from bungalows and villas and the dance performances take place for groups of men from other states on weekends. One has to book the place and the performance in advance and the touts and pimps arrange the rest.

The main organisers of these ladies dance parties are the known criminals Sunil Bhomkar and Gajendra ‘Chotu’ Singh who are presently in judicial custody for their involvement in the Souza Lobo vandalism case.

Sources claim that Chotu – with several criminal cases against him, runs at least 4 to 6 illegal ladies dance bars in the Vagator to Morjim belt alone and another 6 to 8 dance bars in the Arpora to Nerul belt. ALSO READ: Gajendra alias Chotu Singh operates 12 illegal ladies ‘dance’ bars in the Vagator-Candolim belt

Bhomkar and Chotu have a network of pimps and touts or agents who take bookings online and the setup is organised once they have a confirmed booking. They even use websites and APPS to book groups and clients from North India, which are openly advertised on social media.

The Calangute police took action against the illegal businesses under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code due to rising Covid cases in the state, which means the bars can restart after the Covid threat has passed.

The fact is that the bars are completely illegal and should have been shut down much earlier and not only due to Covid, said Ryan Gomes of the Goa People’s Forum and a resident of Calangute. ALSO READ: Calangute cops paid Rs 2.5 lakh bribe per month, Delhi bizman Rajeev Arora under the lens?

Besides the ladies dance bars, the massage parlours also double up as flesh trade joints. According to a Herald report, 23 massage parlours possess valid licences while 41 others are illegally operating in the Calangute, Candolim, Baga, Arpora, Anjuna and Vagator locality in violation of various laws.

There are 12 illegal massage palours in Calangute alone. In the Calangute Panchayat jurisdiction, there are 13 legal and 13 illegal massage parlours, in Arpora there are five legal and three illegal parlours whereas Anjuna has only one legal parlour and 13 are illegal, the Herald report states.

In case of dance bars, the police are only acting against the premises without licenses, but there are several premises which only have a restaurant license and have constructed secret rooms or side rooms where dance performances by women take place. These places also double up as pick-up joints for the flesh trade.

According to TMC Calangute leader and social worker Benedict D’souza, these illegal dance bars and massage parlours have been operating for the last 7 to 8 years and the police are fully aware of their existence, but no action has been taken.

Who has been protecting these illegal dance bars and massage parlours all this while, D’souza asked?