Anti-sexual harassment operation in India for women safety

Local government in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh Friday said the police "anti- Romeo" squads would bring sense of security among women.

"Anti-Romeo squads of policemen to protect women and check eve-teasing will bring a sense of security among women of the state," Keshav Prashad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh said.

"Eve-teasing" is a local term that refers to sexual harassment.

The police squads named as "anti-Romeo" were set up across the state to check eve-teasing and harassment of women. The squads have come up on the orders of new Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, fulfilling a pre-poll promise of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The special squads, comprising of policemen including women officers, keep a vigil outside schools, colleges, coaching centers, market places, parks and other crowded areas to check whether women were being harassed.

However, the police campaign is seen by some as an effort to spawn moral policing and harass couples.

"No innocent person will be harassed or punished by such squads," Maurya said, adding that "providing safety and security to the women in the state remains a priority for the Uttar Pradesh government."

Several young men have been detained by the squads allegedly for indulging in eve-teasing in Pilbhit and capital city Lucknow.

Local media reports said more than 1,000 men, mostly youngsters were detained by the police across the state in anti-Romeo operations.

Reports said while some youth were seen taken to police stations, others were made to do sit-ups in market places and at busy intersections holding their ears promising not to indulge in eve-teasing in the future. Reports also said couples were questioned in the name of the new drive.

The squads have undertaken intensive checking drives in Lucknow, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Mirzapur and Rae Bareli.

Uttar Pradesh Police Chief Javeed Ahmad said the sole objective of the campaign was to ensure safety of women rather than moral policing.

"Safety of girls is the sole intent of the anti Romeo squads. No moral policing," Ahmad wrote on twitter.