3 min readAhmedabadUpdated: Sep 22, 2026 10:27 AM IST
While some of them have been posted by small reel makers and influencers with a few thousand followers, anonymous accounts also have some posters offering “Garba partners" in multiple cities in Gujarat. (File Photo/Representative Image)
The police in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad Monday issued a public warning against the “rent a Garba partner ” ads and posts, especially on Instagram, ahead of Navratri, which will be celebrated in October this year.
These posts began appearing last week, featuring photos of young men and women offering themselves as Garba partners for a fee ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 for two hours, with all-night “packages ” pitched at up to Rs 6,500.
“We are currently investigating the rent-a-partner posts on social media. We are checking if there is fraud or malafide intentions in such posts,” Lavina Sinha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cybercrime Branch) said in a video.
“But regardless, everyone must be careful of links sent for payment or attachments with photos in them, which could have fraud links embedded in them that could hack messaging apps or bank accounts. If anyone knows of such frauds, they should approach the nearest police station,” Sinha added.
‘Silver, gold, platinum packages’
The Indian Express has seen several such posts, most of which appeared within a week, where photos of men and women were posted alongside “silver, gold, and platinum packages ” offering more services as prices increased.
While some of them have been posted by small reel makers and influencers with a few thousand followers, anonymous accounts also have some posters offering “Garba partners ” in multiple cities in Gujarat.
The basic packages are priced between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 for male partners and go up to Rs 3,000 for female partners. According to the posts, the service includes two hours of companionship and Garba, with matching outfits, selfies, and dance-step tutorials.
The mid-level packages range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 for male partners and go up to Rs 5,000 for female partners, with four hours of dancing and making reels; some even offer background stories and pretend to be real-life partners.
The top packages cost Rs 5,000 for male partners and up to Rs 6,500 for female partners. They include “all-day ” Garba, holding hands, conversations, and, as mentioned in some posts, even kisses, along with unlimited photos and reels.
Brendan Dabhi works with The Indian Express, focusing his comprehensive reporting primarily on Gujarat. He covers the region's most critical social, legal, and administrative sectors, notably specializing at the intersection of health, social justice, and disasters.
Expertise
Health and Public Policy: He has deep expertise in healthcare issues, including rare diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the complex logistics of organ transplants, and public health challenges like drug-resistant TB and heat health surveillance. His on-ground reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic and Mucormycosis was critical in exposing healthcare challenges faced by marginalized communities in Gujarat.
Social Justice and Legal Administration: He reports on the functioning of the legal and police system, including the impact of judicial philosophy, forensics and crucial administrative reforms (. He covers major surveillance and crackdown exercises by the Gujarat police and security on the international border.
Disaster and Crisis Management: His work closely tracks how government and civic bodies respond to large-scale crises, providing essential coverage on the human and administrative fallout of disasters including cyclones, floods, conflict, major fires and reported extensively on the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad.
Civic Infrastructure and Governance: Provides timely reports on critical civic failures, including large scale infrastructure projects by the railways and civic bodies, as well as the enforcement of municipal regulations and their impact on residents and heritage. ... Read More
