Indonesian girls rescued from Goa spa

Panaji : Goa Crime Branch has written to the Indonesian Embassy seeking permission to record statements of the 11 Indonesian girls who were rescued after they complained of being illegally detained by a Spa owner.

?These girls have been shifted to an undisclosed location under protection of the Indonesian Embassy in Mumbai. We have therefore written to the Embassy seeking access to record their statements,? Police Inspector Sunita Sawant said.

The Embassy on Friday had written to Goa police chief that 11 Indonesian girls were illegally detained in Goa and Mumbai by a spa, which ran operations in both the places.

The diplomatic letter received by Director General of Police Bhim Sain Bassi, had ordered Crime Branch to investigate into the matter.

Sawant said that eight Indonesian girls were held back in Goa and their passports and residential permits were confiscated by the owner of the spa chain.

They however managed to escaped and fled to Mumbai where they complained to the Consulate that they were being harassed and brought to Goa on forged documents.

They also complained that they were forced to work under duress as ‘spa therapists’ and were awfully treated.

Apart from the eight from Goa, three girls working in the Bandra branch of the spa in Mumbai also approached the Consulate with the same grievance.

Following this, the Vice-Consul of Indonesian Consulate in Mumbai Sasanti Nordewadi dashed a letter to Goa police asking to take immediate action.