City police make PDA in desolate places a no-no

Nagpur: City police have decided to go after the couples engaging in public display of affection (PDA) especially if they are found in desolate places. The decision to discourage couples from engaging in amorous acts in remote places has been taken with a view of avoiding untoward incidents concerning women. Last year, a schoolgirl was raped and murdered by an acquaintance who had befriended her some time ago along the boundary walls of Mihan, where many other couples also head for moments of privacy.This year too, there have been incidents of robberies targeting the couples.
The most shocking incident was of gang rape of a teacher by a group of miscreants along the Outer Ring Road last year. During the probe, another gang rape and sodomy of a senior citizen in the remote localities of the outskirts too had come to fore.
City police, like the rest of the units in the state, had also prepared a list of such places in city which are considered unsafe for citizens especially women. The survey concluded with information of 105 such places, such as desolate localities, abandoned buildings, far off places, dark stretches, which are earmarked for vigilance from respective police stations.
DCP, Zone-I, Shailesh Balkawade said that cops would not resort to moral policing but there would be actions on excesses. “Police’s main aim is to ensure that crimes, especially on women, are curtailed. We would try to ensure that couple do not venture into such zones or indulge into such actions which may invite trouble for them,” he said.
Balkawade said there are several localities and stretches where vigilance is required to avoid crimes like robberies and rapes. “There are places where crimes have taken place in the past. The past experience has helped us undertake the decision that police need to interfere with the couples who can be booked too if there is transgression of decency as per the law,” he said.