Technoglitch
Core Member
The Malwani police, several of whose officers were suspended for allowing a spurious liquor racket to flourish in their jurisdiction, which led to the deaths of more than 100 people in the hooch tragedy last month, seem to have declared war on an easy target: sex.
Consenting adults who had checked into various hotels in the Madh Island and Aksa area to get some privacy were shocked to find the police knocking on the doors of their rooms on Thursday. More than 40 couples were rounded up and taken to the police station, where they were insulted and some of them, especially college students, were made to call their parents.
Another 21-year-old woman was slapped by a female police constable when she refused to pay the fine. "I am not a prostitute. I am an adult who was out with my fiancé, who I am supposed to marry next month, to find some privacy. I had entered my name in the hotel register with my identity proof and also handed over the relevant documents when asked by the cops. But, when I tried to tell a female constable all of this, she slapped me," said the girl.
"Do we have freedom as citizens of India? How can you fine and demean us and intrude into our privacy. If you want to take legal action, fine the hotels or lodges if any of them allow immoral activities like prostitution to go on in their premises. Making love to the person of my choice in a private room doesn't amount to indecent behaviour in public. You can't just harass us because a DCP orders a raid," she added.
Officials speak
When contacted, DCP Vikram Deshpande asked mid-day to call the police in-charge of Malwani Police station and hung up. Senior Inspector Milind Khetale confirmed the raid and said that the couples were fined under Section 110 (Indecent behaviour in public) of the Bombay Police Act and three cases were also registered under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act.
Mumbai: Couples Picked up From Hotel Rooms, Charged With Public Indecency - NDTV
Consenting adults who had checked into various hotels in the Madh Island and Aksa area to get some privacy were shocked to find the police knocking on the doors of their rooms on Thursday. More than 40 couples were rounded up and taken to the police station, where they were insulted and some of them, especially college students, were made to call their parents.
Another 21-year-old woman was slapped by a female police constable when she refused to pay the fine. "I am not a prostitute. I am an adult who was out with my fiancé, who I am supposed to marry next month, to find some privacy. I had entered my name in the hotel register with my identity proof and also handed over the relevant documents when asked by the cops. But, when I tried to tell a female constable all of this, she slapped me," said the girl.
"Do we have freedom as citizens of India? How can you fine and demean us and intrude into our privacy. If you want to take legal action, fine the hotels or lodges if any of them allow immoral activities like prostitution to go on in their premises. Making love to the person of my choice in a private room doesn't amount to indecent behaviour in public. You can't just harass us because a DCP orders a raid," she added.
Officials speak
When contacted, DCP Vikram Deshpande asked mid-day to call the police in-charge of Malwani Police station and hung up. Senior Inspector Milind Khetale confirmed the raid and said that the couples were fined under Section 110 (Indecent behaviour in public) of the Bombay Police Act and three cases were also registered under the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act.
Mumbai: Couples Picked up From Hotel Rooms, Charged With Public Indecency - NDTV
