The Uttar Pradesh police chief on Friday issued a letter to his force, detailing how the anti-Romeo squads should function. Director General of Police Javed Ahmed has listed several dos and don’ts while carrying out the drive.
The forms of punishment not allowed include hair shaving and blackening men’s faces. “Couples sitting in public places should not be asked for identity cards, questioned, frisked or humiliated,” said Ahmed in the letter, according to NDTV. The police chief added that a self-appointed person or group should take up this task. “The squads will be screened and assessed by officials and briefed by senior policemen before set out each day,” said Ahmed.
The guidelines come after a girl and her cousin were harassed and detained during the anti-Romeo drive. Two policemen were suspended after the incident. Chief Minister Adityanath had recently said that the squad would not harass couples spending time in public.
The Allahabad High Court has also sanctioned the setting up of these anti-Romeo squads by the Uttar Pradesh Police to keep harassment under check, reported The Times of India. Calling it preventive, and not moral, policing, the Lucknow bench of Justice AP Sahi and Justice Sanjai Harkauli on Thursday said there was nothing unlawful in forming such squads.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Gaurav Gupta. He had argued that such actions amount to invading the privacy of couples and adults. But Lucknow Senior Superintendent of Police Manzil Saini assured the court that every police action was in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code, Indian Penal Code, Police Act and Police Regulation.
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