UP’s anti-Romeo squads create record by questioning 7.5 lakh men, registering 540 cases in 2 months

Anti-Romeo squads, which undertook a massive exercise to check eve-teasing at public places, lodged 538 cases and initiated legal action against 1,264 people in UP in the past two months.

Lucknow, May 31: The controversial anti-Romeo squads of Uttar Pradesh--formed by the police department to check ever-teasing and molestation--are back in news again. The UP police had released the report card of the squads' performance in the last two months on Tuesday.

We must say, these squads have created some sort of a record by detaining so many "notorious" men in a span of such a small period.

According to statistics, anti-Romeo squads, which undertook a massive exercise to check eve-teasing at public places, lodged 538 cases and initiated legal action against 1,264 people in UP in the past two months.

Official figures stated that around 750,000 men, mostly youths, were questioned by the cops for their "bad" behaviour and 338,344 people were let off with warnings.

During the period between March 22 and May 28, the squads questioned over seven lakh people at more than two lakh spots including malls, markets, outside schools, colleges and educational institutions, bus and railway stations.

Anti-Romeo squads, a poll promise of the BJP, were set up the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath government soon after coming to power with an aim to ensure safety of women, especially young girls.

The squad had also attracted criticism from some quarters after visuals of policemen targeting young boys and girls were shown on the TV and on social media.

At a few places in the state, some youths were made to do sit-ups at busy crossings holding their ears and taking pledge not to indulge in eve-teasing.

Later, however, the government issued strict instructions to the police and the anti-Romeo squads to exercise restraint, saying things like shaving of heads or blackening of face should not be done or innocent people harassed.

OneIndia News