Cops now target cozying couples

Chennai, July 8: Call them killjoys or spoilsport, police teams are at work in the city with the sole instruction to shame couples cozying up on beaches, parks and such public places. The teams, comprising about six policemen led by an inspector in each of the 12 police districts in Chennai, have so far 'netted' 500 couples.

While most couples are students and young people, also found to be showing "indecent behaviour" was a tahsildar and his colleague, an MTC bus conductor and a woman passenger, a woman cooperative society official and her male colleague. Charges of public nuisance have been slapped on some 60 couples.

Police say it's not moral policing, and that they are just ensuring that there is no indecent behaviour in public. "After we received many complaints from people, we formed special squads to narrow down on such couples. Most of them are found on the Marina sands. Our intention is not to disturb beach-goers. The teams target only those behaving badly in public view," joint commissioner of police (east zone) S N Seshasai said. He asserted that the police action had been getting good feedback from the public.

"The idea of the squad is to maintain law and order on the streets, roads and in public places. We have allotted separate manpower and vehicle for the teams," said Chennai police commissioner J K Tripathy.

But youngsters are not amused by the police action. "It is none of their business," said Prasad, an engineering student who was harassed by a policeman last week at the Marina. Often policeman call up the couples' parents and warn them.

While a large number of such couples are let off with a warning, a few have been booked under Section 75 (creating nuisance) of the Madras City Police Act.