Nagpur: In a decisive move to crack down on human trafficking and tighten surveillance across the hospitality sector, Nagpur Police on Friday, 1st August 2025, launched a dedicated enforcement drive titled ‘Operation Shakti’. The initiative was announced during a high-level meeting held at the Police Bhavan Auditorium Hall, Civil Lines, chaired by Joint Commissioner of Police Navinchandra Reddy and attended by DCPs of all city zones along with a large number of hotel, lodge, and OYO property owners and operators.
The meeting marked a new chapter in the city’s law enforcement strategy, following the earlier campaigns — Operation Thunder (against narcotics) and Operation U-Turn (against drunk driving). With Operation Shakti, Nagpur Police aims to directly tackle the menace of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in hotel and lodge premises by enforcing strict verification and surveillance measures.
Officials instructed that every hotel, lodge, and OYO accommodation in the city must prominently display a board pledging zero tolerance toward sexual exploitation and trafficking. Police emphasized that the hospitality sector must not only cooperate with the law but also take proactive moral responsibility to ensure that their premises are not misused for unlawful activities.
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02 Aug 2025
All establishments have been directed to maintain a proper register of every guest with valid identity proof such as Aadhar card or PAN card. Entry to underage individuals suspected of involvement in sex work must be strictly denied. Properties must also be equipped with functioning CCTV cameras at all key points, and the mobile numbers submitted by guests are to be verified on the spot by calling them at the time of check-in.
Raising a practical concern, Tejinder Singh Renu, President of the Hotel Owners’ Association, pointed out a growing trend in booking manipulation. He highlighted how, in several cases, two rooms are booked in advance and then occupants are switched — a method increasingly used to dodge checks. He urged the police to take such patterns into account and issue clear procedural guidelines to help hotel operators remain compliant.
Police officers cautioned that such loopholes could easily be exploited not just by traffickers, but also by criminals and even terrorists. They warned that lax verification practices could lead to serious legal and security implications for hotel owners and managers.
The meeting concluded with a firm and urgent message: the responsibility of keeping Nagpur safe does not rest with the police alone. Hotel and lodge operators must step up and align themselves with this mission by enforcing every measure laid down under Operation Shakti. With this campaign now officially in motion, the hospitality sector in Nagpur enters a new era of vigilance, accountability, and zero compromise on ethics.
