Shocking! Cops slap couples silly

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Meerut: It was a humiliating experience for young couples at Meerut's Gandhi Park, a popular hangout, on Tuesday.

In a shocking act of police insensitivity, unsuspecting couples sitting in the park were beaten up by a team of women police officers in what was called 'Operation Majnu'.

Couples in the park were randomly hauled up and slapped, beaten and abused by the policewomen as national channels filmed the administration's attempt at 'cleansing the city of road Romeos'.

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Morning walkers in Gandhi Park in Meerut and Lodhi Gardens in New Delhi were shocked by Operation Majnu. Here’s what some of them told CNN-IBN:

Gandhi Park, Meerut

"The police came here randomly and started beating the people, they did not even see if they were just friends or were married. The police was wrong in taking such an action"

"We come here regularly and haven’t seen a more shameful episode than this. The whole episode is a p art of a conspiracy as the police just wanted to disturb and scare the kids here."

Lodhi Gardens, New Delhi
"Couples hang around here very often and no nuisance has ever been reported. Police should not create trouble."

"Let them (the couples) enjoy life, they are not troubling anyone."

"Moral policing should not be imposed. As long as people are within the parameters of decent behaviour, they should be given the rights to do whatever they want."

"I don’t agree with the mortal policing bit. Couples need some space to themselves. But they should refrain from taking to parks, as those are family places. And moreover, apart from holding hands, many other things also go on."

"Police have no right to take law unto their hands. What they did was wrong"

The idea behind the unjustified humiliation was described as an attempt to bring down incidents of eve-teasing in the city.

However, caught up in their zeal, the women police officers ended up targeting couples instead. They were were slapped and questioned about their male friends. Even married couples were not spared.

The raid continued for a couple of hours and at least eight couples were hauled up by the police. But, they were let off with a warning after a few hours.

After the footages were aired on TV channels, a couple has gone missing. Their parents say fear and shame is keeping the couple away from home.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh has suspended one Inspector and a Sub-Inspector involved in the operation. The SSP of Meerut has announced an enquiry into the incident.

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