Whimsical private guest houses thriving

Mantralayam (Kurnool): With whimsical behaviour of the managements/owners of over 100 private guest houses here, there is none to check the prostitution racket thriving during nights, even as the police seem to be bowing to the pressure tactics of local politicians. Also, boards listing the daily tariff in guest houses are missing in this holy town which attracts thousands of devotees from various states to the Sri Raghavendra Swamy Matham.

Highlights:

• Prostitution racket in the holy town with the support of local politicians
• Room boys of private guest houses act as pimps and collect money from visitors

Devout devotees, who wish to stay in the matham for two or three days, have to take up accommodation in private guest houses for performing various rituals. They are pestered by the room boys to take up accommodation. In most cases, visitors are hoodwinked to accept the tariff, which varies from person to person.

For those visitors from Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu seeking bodily night-time pleasures, the room boys of private guest houses act as pimps and collect money. They are forced to shell out separate charges for rooms as also women, who provide entertainment.

Such nocturnal activities are allegedly being ignored by the police, as they fear local politicians, who resort to threats. Local residents want the police and officials to take action against the managements of private guest houses for their misdeeds and misconduct.