Ayurvedic physician Dr. Indrani Senaratne has raised serious concerns over recent police raids targeting wellness spas and massage therapy centers, claiming that practitioners are being wrongfully arrested and remanded without proper legal procedures.
Speaking on the professional standards of the industry, Dr. Senaratne emphasized that spa therapists undergo rigorous training in traditional anatomy, including the study of the body’s vital pressure points.
“People working in these places learn body pressure points and therapeutic techniques thoroughly. They study these pressure points before administering treatments,” She said.
While acknowledging that minor irregularities may occur at isolated establishments, she strongly criticized the methods employed by law enforcement during recent operations, citing a recent crackdown in the Kadawatha area where several therapists were arrested and subsequently remanded at the Welikada Prison Dr. Senaratne questioned the legal grounds for the arrests, pointing out that under historical provisions such as the 1940s Vagrants’ Ordinance, prostitution charges generally require clear evidence involving multiple individuals. She argued that arresting isolated individuals inside premises and filing charges under vague interpretations, such as wandering aimlessly, violates legal norms.
“What is the actual charge? Under the old ordinances, an offense requires two people together. How do these detained individuals fit that criteria when taken into custody alone?” she noted Calling for immediate administrative intervention, Dr. Senaratne urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate alleged irregularities and misconduct by law enforcement officers conducting these operations. She also warned that arbitrary arrests are severely impacting the mental well-being of innocent workers in the field.
