'Anti-Romeo' drive backfires, three UP cops suspended for detaining couple at Ghaziabad park

The anti-Romeo drive aimed at curbing the harassment of women in public places took a u-turn after three policemen were suspended for detaining a young couple at a Ghaziabad park.

The couple was brought to the police station even when no female police personnel was present, which is mandatory for detaining women.

Criticism against the drive, which accuses police officials of moral policing rather than detaining criminals, has forced UP CM Aditya Nath to order new guidelines for the 'anti-Romeo' squad. He has also asked police officials to not detain consenting young men and women found together.

The police told HT that the couple was spotted at Ambedkar Park in Navyug market. The cops approached them in a PCR asking them to verify their credentials and later escorted them to Kotwali police station.

“The PCR van had no women personnel deployed. A video shot by some passerby also went viral and senior superintendent of police ordered suspension after the incident came to his knowledge,” said Ranvir Singh, spokesperson for SSP Deepak Kumar, to HT.

The suspended cops were identified as head constable Mehtab and constables Dilip Kumar and Pankaj Kumar. The PCR van was deployed under Kotwali police station area.