The Uttar Pradesh police were on Friday directed by the State government to ensure that its anti-Romeo squads do not resort to blackening of the face or “murga” position type punishments in the name of protecting women.
The move by the government comes amid outrage over the way the squads have punished loitering men on the streets and a day after the Allahabad High Court directed it to ensure that guidelines were followed by the police teams and action taken as per the law.
There should be no shaving of heads, blackening of faces or “murga pose” (a stress position used as a corporal punishment where sit-ups are done holding the ears), said a senior official while listing out the dos and don’ts.
CM’s intervention
The fresh guidelines were issued after the intervention of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath amid reports of alleged harassment by anti-Romeo squads.
The special squads of the U.P. police were formed after the the BJP government assumed office this month, fulfilling one of the pre-poll promises of the party.
The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench of justices Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Sanjay Harkauli had given its order on a PIL plea that alleged that the police were not following the guidelines during the drive.
The Chief Minister has also directed officials in districts to regularly review the steps being taken for the security of women, the official said.
