Mumbai Mirror

• Altamount Road resident files FIR against spa after a pan of boiling wax spills on her leg

Mumbai, Nov 17: A south Mumbai resident has accused one of the swishest spas in the city of criminal negligence.Forty-seven-year-old Pallavi (second name not revealed to protect her identity), a resident of Altamount Road, has filed an FIR with the Gamdevi police against Rudra, the luxury day spa at Kemps Corner, alleging that she suffered severe burns on her left leg after a pan of boiling wax fell on her leg while she was at the spa.

Earlier this month, Pallavi’s husband, a jet-setting businessman, had gifted her the much-coveted Rs 55,000 platinum membership to the spa, which counts among its members the likes of Vijaypat Singhania and socialite Roohi Jaikishen.

Pallavi’s husband had gifted her the much-coveted Rs 55,000 platinum membership to the spa
earlier this month

However, three days after she joined the spa, Pallavi had a horrifying experience. “I was there to get my legs waxed and was taken to the massage room. The room did not have any tables or stands to keep the wax bowl, so the attendant kept it in between my ankles,” she said.

A few minutes after the attendant had started waxing, the bowl overturned and the boiling wax fell on Pallavi’s left ankle. What roused her ire, says Pallavi, was the callous attitude of the staff subsequently.

“Instead of administering first aid or rushing me to a hospital, the attendant first tried to hush up the matter. For about an hour I lay in pain at the spa before she put some water and dry ice on the burn,” she said, adding that the senior staff arrived a good twenty minutes late and refused to take her to a nursing home.

Pallavi’s family eventually took her to Dr Shailesh Ranade who then treated her for second and third degree burns.

“As of now, Pallavi’s injury is something between a second and third degree burn. We will confirm if she needs skin grafting after a week,” said Dr Shailesh Ranade.

Days after the incident, none of the staff or management of the spa bothered to enquire after her or apologise for the incident. Finally, after several phone calls, the manager of Rudra, Sunita Chhabria visited her house but when Pallavi demanded a written apology from the spa, Chhabria who offered a verbal apology said she would revert and never did.

With nothing forthcoming, Pallavi called up Rudra owner Amit Dholakia  who promised to look into the matter. But to her utter dismay, on November 13 she received a letter from the spa saying that her membership was being cancelled and that the spa was returning her Rs 55,000 membership cheque. “It has been noticed,” the letter read, “you have caused certain disturbances in the spa and salon which are not befitting the spirit of membership of Rudra spa...”

The letter further stated that while filling out the membership form she had given references of people, who refused to acknowledge her. Stating these reasons Rudra cancelled her membership. This infuriated Pallavi who then approached Gamdevi police to file a complaint.

While Amit Dholakia remained unreachable , Rudra manager Sunita Chhabria alleged that Pallavi was “trying to blackmail the spa after we cancelled her membership .” Asked if the incident did take place she said: “I don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Pallavi registered an FIR with Gamdevi police station. “We are in the process of filing a case of negligence against the persons named by the complainant. After investigation, we will take necessary action,” said inspector Shyam Parulekar.