Members of a Hindu youth group founded by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath allegedly barged into a house in Meerut and thrashed a Muslim man for being in a compromising position with a woman, sources told HT on Wednesday.
Local residents and activists from the Hindu Yuva Vahini allegedly handed over the man, identified as Wasim, and the woman to police on Tuesday. According to a report, the woman was released after a warning, but Wasim – a resident of Muzaffarnagar who works at a hotel in Meerut – was booked on charges of obscenity.
The incident occurred in Meerut’s Shastri Nagar locality.
The incident comes days after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath instructed police not to harass “innocent” couples. He had asked senior officials to chalk out clear guidelines for anti-Romeo squads to ensure that police did not act against boys and girls hanging out together with consent.
“The anti- Romeo squads have been formed to take action against anti- social elements. People who harass girls are not youth but ruffians ,” he said. The CM said there will be no moral policing.
Police said the couple wasn’t beaten up. Local residents and Vahini members handed them over to police after finding them in a compromising position when they entered the house, Alok Priyadarshi, superintendent of police (city) said. He also claimed that man and his “girlfriend” were Muslims and that both were released.
According to police, Wasim called his “girlfriend” to his rented room on Tuesday. But local residents informed Hindu Vahini leaders Sachin Gupta and Nagendra Tomar who arrived with a big gang of members and pushed their way into the room, finding the couple in a compromising position.
“People have become confident and more aware since Adityanath has taken charge as the chief minister. They want things to become better. The people in the neighbourhood, where this incident took place, informed us about it,” said Sachin Mittal, Meerut zonal head, Hindu Yuva Vahini.
“The word moral policing (used for us) is wrong. The moment we were informed about the incident we called up police immediately and they reached the spot before us. Police brought them out.”
