Police Stumble Upon Suspected Human Trafficking During Enforcement of FCR Order in Lower Chowadi
Avinash Azad
In a stunning turn of events during the enforcement of a Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) order to reclaim state land, a police team from Channi Himmat Police Station uncovered a suspected case of human trafficking when five Thai nationals were found locked inside a SPA centre operating illegally in Lower Chowadi.
The incident unfolded on June 22, when a joint team led by the local administration and police reached Lower Chowadi to implement the May 6, 2025, order passed by FCR J&K, Shaleen Kabra. The directive came after the dismissal of a revision petition in a decades-old land dispute under the Big Landed Estates Abolition Act, involving a claimant, Major Singh, son of Balak Ram, against the Deputy Commissioner Jammu and Tehsildar Bahu.
FCR Kabra had directed that the identified land be retrieved and handed over to the Power Development Department (PDD) for the establishment of a power substation. Following instructions from the DC Jammu, the SDM South accompanied by police personnel, reached the spot to seal the structures raised illegally on the encroached state land.
According to reliable sources, while sealing the ground floor of the building, the police moved upstairs to the first floor, where they encountered a locked room. Upon breaking it open, five women—reportedly of Thai nationality—emerged with luggage in hand. They were immediately taken to Channi Himmat Police Station for questioning. However, even after five days, the police have not issued any official statement regarding the discovery.
“The premises were constructed on land declared as state land by the FCR and meant to be transferred to a government department. However, a Punjab-based family was found to be running the illegal SPA centre where these women were recovered,” said a senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Sources further disclosed that police have recommended the registration of an FIR against the SPA owner under charges related to human trafficking and illegal confinement. While the recovered women have reportedly been sheltered, their immigration and visa status remains under scrutiny. Investigations are also underway to determine how the Thai nationals entered India, and whether a larger trafficking racket is involved.
The incident has raised serious questions about the misuse of encroached government land and the potential exploitation of foreign nationals in the guise of wellness and SPA businesses. It has also highlighted glaring enforcement lapses and the need for regular inspections of such commercial establishments.
This is not the first time concerns have been raised about illegal activities behind the facade of high-end SPA centres mushrooming across Jammu. But with the police now in possession of direct evidence, public pressure is mounting on the administration to act swiftly and decisively. When contacted, senior police officials declined to comment, maintaining that the matter is under investigation.
