Soon after taking charge as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath asked all district administrations to form an 'Anti-Romeo' to check harassment of women. Now, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has followed suit by launching Operation Durga. Immediately after Khattar launched Operation Durga on Wednesday (April 12), teams swung into action and nabbed 72 people across the state.

OPERATION DURGA - THE SPECIAL TEAM

Twenty-four teams have been formed to check crimes against women across Haryana. The teams comprise woman cops, including nine sub-inspectors, 14 assistant sub-inspectors, six head constables and 13 constables, besides other police officers from each district.

On the first day the flying squads visited public places such as schools, colleges, bus stands and railway stations and nabbed dozens for men for eve-teasing, stalking and making lewd comments on women.

The Haryana government has also set up women police stations in all districts to ensure safety of women and provide them with a safe place for lodging complaints.

UTTAR PRADESH'S ANTI-ROMEO SQUAD

Delivering on his party's election promise of ensuring women safety, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath formed anti-Romeo squad soon after assuming charge.

But the police campaign aimed at ensuring safety of women, especially young girls was marked by some stray cases of harassment of innocent youths amid concerns that it could spawn moral policing.

The BJP Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra (manifesto), which the party released ahead of the UP assembly elections, categorically mentioned that to stop instances of eve-teasing, anti-Romeo squads would be formed. Apart from this, three women police stations would be established in every district of Uttar Pradesh.

The idea of 'Anti-Romeo' squads was first implemented in Gujarat in the late 1990s when BJP was in power but the campaign later fizzled out.

(With inputs from PTI)

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