Those detained by Uttar Pradesh’s anti-Romeo squads for indulging in rowdy behaviour should not be “arrested”, instead their guardians should be called and briefed, new state police chief Sulkhan Singh has said, PTI reported on Wednesday. The director general of police issued a list of directives for the police and the anti-Romeo squads on Tuesday night after he held a meeting with senior police officials through video conferencing.

“The SSPs and SPs have been asked to personally brief the squad that they do not have to investigate any issue and act only against the rowdy elements,” a UP police spokesperson said. Singh has also demanded strictest action against vigilantes who take law in their own hands in the name of cow protection or “love jihad”. “The orders demand zero tolerance towards trouble makers,” the spokesperson added.

Advertisement

The squad members are expected to carry a camera on their body while on duty and record the action taken by them, reported The New Indian Express. This is to keep a check on those police personnel who sometimes act harshly while handling such situations, an unidentified police official told the English daily.

Singh has also asked the state police personnel not to allow road blockades as a form of protest. Other directives included maintaining traffic, taking action against encroachers, maintaining proper behaviour in public.

On April 21, Singh was appointed the new UP police chief replacing Javeed Ahmed. He had then vowed to act sternly against those indulging in hooliganism.

The squads have been at the centre of controversy with reports about youngsters being harassed at their hands. In March, a girl and her cousin brother were harassed by policemen when they had gone to buy medicines. The frequent reports and criticism of the squads led Adityanath to order them not to harass consensual adults socialising in public.