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In this BBC clip, undercover female officers are seen attacking men in a crackdown on sexual abuse in the country’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. The squads were put in place by Hindu cleric Yogi Adityanath, who was controversially appointed as chief minister of the north Indian state. The BBC reporter, after witnessing officers interrogating men in the street, said: “So this seems pretty random to me, they’re just stopping guys, like this guy here, asking them what they’re up to, checking their ID. “There’s no evidence this guy was ‘eve-teasing’ as they call it – harassing women at all.”

BBC Female officers attack a man in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh

What is this? This is not the correct way to develop your country, this is not the way Woman against police initiative

One woman spoke out against the initiative and said: “You can’t go [to] everyone a say ‘what are you doing? Why are you sitting like this? You, stand up’. “What is this? This is not the correct way to develop your country, this is not the way.” The “anti-Romeo” squads have sparked outrage among parents who feel their sons have been targeted. One father told The Times of India: “It is not the police's job to decide where boys can stand and where they cannot. My son is 19 and an adult.”

BBC There has been opposition to the move with men claiming they have been unfairly targeted