Published Oct 21, 2026 | 12:31 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 21, 2026 | 12:31 PM
The allegations came to light during a Kerala Police investigation into the alleged trafficking and sexual exploitation of the minor at multiple spas.
Tamil Nadu Police are probing whether a 16-year-old girl from Andhra Pradesh, whose alleged sexual exploitation at a spa in Kovalam is being investigated by Kerala Police, was also abused in the Guduvanchery area of Chengalpattu district.
The allegations came to light during a Kerala Police investigation into the alleged trafficking and sexual exploitation of the minor at multiple spas. Kerala Police have detained JH Anuroop, a junior health inspector with the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, whom investigators identified as the actual owner of the Dreams spa in Kovalam.
According to the Kerala investigation team, the girl told investigators that she had been sexually abused at spas in Chennai before being taken to Kovalam. Following her statement, the Kerala Special Investigation Team registered a zero FIR concerning the allegations in Chennai and forwarded it to Tamil Nadu Police for further investigation.
The girl was allegedly accommodated in a separate house in Urapakkam, near Guduvanchery, while being made to work at a spa in the area. Police are investigating the circumstances in which she was brought to Chennai, where she stayed and who was responsible for arranging her accommodation and alleged exploitation.
The Vandalur All-Women Police Station is verifying allegations of sexual exploitation at the house, located near Guduvanchery railway station. The alleged incidents are said to have occurred in April and May 2025.
The zero FIR registered by Kovalam police was transferred to the Vandalur All-Women Police Station on October 20 for further investigation.
Investigators are expected to establish the exact location where the girl stayed, the circumstances surrounding the alleged abuse and the identities of those who may have been involved. Kerala’s Special Investigation Team is also expected to visit Chennai and examine CCTV footage connected with the allegations.
The girl’s maternal aunt, Nagalakshmi, and her husband, Gopi, have been arrested in Andhra Pradesh. The couple are accused of trafficking the girl under the pretext of providing employment and placing her at spas in Chennai, Bengaluru and Kovalam.
Investigators are also examining allegations that identity documents were used to misrepresent the girl’s age. According to reports, the minor possessed two Aadhaar cards showing her age as 18 and 20, respectively.
The case reportedly came to light after the girl fell in love with a young man at one of the establishments and attempted to flee with him. Details of the alleged abuse emerged during counselling, prompting a police investigation into suspected human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
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(With inputs from Subash Chandra Bose. Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
