UP anti-Romeo drive: Cops detain cousins, take bribe to free them

lucknow

Updated: May 30, 2017 07:00 IST

Two policemen have been suspended for allegedly harassing and taking bribe from a youth and his cousin, whom they had detained during the Uttar Pradesh Police’s anti-Romeo drive in Rampur.

On March 26, sub-inspector Sanjeev Giri and constable Vimal detained a youth and his uncle’s daughter, both aged about 18, when they came here to purchase medicines from their native Hashmat Ganj village, said superintendent of police KK Chaudhari.

“The policemen said they had taken action against them under the anti-Romeo operations and they were kept at a police station for over five hours,” he said.

The police personnel refused to let go the cousins even after their relatives approached them and clarified that they were related and were not a couple, he said.

The policemen allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 to free them, the officer said, adding that relatives gave the amount and also filmed the policemen accepting the bribe.

They later approached local MLA and minister Baldev Singh Aulakh, who informed the SP about the incident.

The officer said that after going through the video and initial investigation, he suspended the accused sub-inspector and the constable on Monday.

Anti-Romeo squads set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to prevent eve-teasing has drawn criticism from certain quarters have allegedly targeted couples also.