In order to keep a tab on eve-teasers in Uttar Pradesh, the newly appointed government in the state formed the anti-Romeo squad. However, the squad came under scanner for harassing couples also. After the negative feedback, now the police personnel who are part of the squad are being trained on how to spot a ‘Romeo’.
According to a report in NDTV, a senior police officer Navneet Sikera who has been given the task of training police officials tells the cops “Suppose a boy and girl are sitting together and chatting. Is that harassment? No. But suppose the girl draws a line and says I don’t want to chat more and the boy persists, that is harassment”.
“So if a boy and girl are sitting together that does not require intervention. But if you see a girl looking uncomfortable… and we as policemen are trained to spot this… then, we will intervene,” he adds.
The training session has come after the squad was being criticised for doing moral policing. A few days back, anti-Romeo squad detained a couple at a park in Ghaziabad and were taken to the police station. Also, noDG woman personnel was present which is mandatory as per the guidelines issued. Later all the cops who detained the couple were suspended.
In another incident, a man’s head was shaved when the squad found him sitting with a woman in a park. After the incident came to light, the officials were suspended.
As per the UP police, for next few months, training sessions will take place twice every week and each batch will have 50 cops both men and women.
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