Love and drama in the air on V-Day
NOVEL DATES Couples seen at temples as they feel safer there, another couple tries to fake kidnapping
NEW DELHI/BAREILLY/ BHOPAL/ LUCKNOW: It was a highly charged but overall peaceful Valentine’s Day across India with no antisocial incidents occurring in Bengaluru, Bhopal and other sensitive cities where saffron outfits had taken to the streets on earlier occasions.
In Bhopal, the police kept watch at parks and other public spots and there was patrolling throughout the city. However, right-wing activists weren’t seen at such spots.
Surprisingly, more couples were seen at the temples, apparently, as they felt it was safer there. “We felt it was better to come here today. The view from here is breathtaking”, a young couple on the premises of the Laxmi Narayan temple said.
Things were not as smooth in Bareilly though, as police resorted to lathi charge in a few areas to drive away Shiv Sainiks who were staging a demonstration against Valentine’s Day. Police also took five right-wing protestors into custody and seized several vehicles.
In an interesting twist to the lover’s tale, a lover couple landed in the police net as the boy, Shaan, with the help of his girlfriend and four friends, tried to extort `1 crore ransom from his father after faking his own kidnapping. The couple had planned to go to Goa and stay there together after getting the money.
Shaan’s father Alam Siddiqui has a well established business of wood furniture and is also involved in real estate.
SSP Yashasvi Yadav said their planning failed and all six people were arrested. He said the youngsters had planned the kidnapping drama after watching a crime sequence of the Ajay Devgn-starrer Bollywood blockbuster ‘Singham’.
The SSP said two accused — Rahul and Madhur — were first arrested when they come to collect the ransom amount. He said the youngsters had asked Shaan’s father to drop the bag containing cash on the road.