‘Anti-Romeo’ squads keeping women safe

NEW DELHI: Police in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh have begun deploying “anti-Romeo” squads, who conduct surprise checks in public areas to counter the sexual harassment of women, officials said yesterday.

The campaign, launched on Tuesday, has already rounded up 15 men in the state capital Lucknow and other districts, police spokesperson Rahul Srivastava said.

The move comes days after Hindu hardliner and priest Yogi Adityanath took office as state chief minister, following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s emphatic victory in assembly polls.

The squads were a key promise in BJP’s election manifesto in the recent elections.

“The idea is to reclaim public spaces and make them safe for women,” state police chief Javeed Ahmad told broadcaster NDTV, following instructions by Adityanath to improve law and order in the state.

All police stations have been asked to form “anti-Romeo” squads and told that public places need to be made safe, particularly for young girls.

India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, is also among its most lawless. Government data shows the province reports the most cases of crimes against women, including sexual violence.

The move has been praised as a big step towards the safety of women, but the domestic media has also raised concerns, saying the drive could lead to harassment by police or turn into moral policing.

Footage on news channels showed police questioning young men outside malls, parks and colleges. But female students who were interviewed welcomed the measures.

Srivastava said the drive would not be allowed to degenerate into moral policing. “The crackdown aims to weed out hooligans and roadside romeos who hang around malls, colleges and coaching centres (and) tease or stare at girls, thus making public areas (unsafe) for them,” he said.

The move has also stirred controversy because it is linked to BJP’s campaign against “Love Jihad” – described by Adityanath as a ploy through which young Muslim men lure young Hindu women into marriage and conversion to Islam. BJP president Amit Shah has rejected this accusation. – dpa