KOCHI: Police officers questioning young couples at Kochi’s Marine Drive and noting down their personal details have triggered a controversy, with the youngsters terming it as an act of “moral policing” by the men in uniform. However, the police refuted the charges, saying Wednesday’s inspection was part of a routine drive to check “illegal and suspicious activities”.
“We were sitting casually in an open area, without causing any disturbance. Is it fair for a large squad of police officers to conduct unwarranted inspection on us,” asked Rakesh (name changed), who was sitting at the Queen’s Walkway in Marine Drive along with a female friend. “They forced us to provide personal details like our name, address, age, and contact numbers,” the 26-year-old said.
Claiming it to be a form of ‘moral policing’ by the police, he said: “We came to Marine Drive as it’s an open space where people gather to spend their leisure. Such inspections by the police will definitely dampen the joy.” According to him, the police queried four to five couples sitting at the Queen’s Walkway around noon. “When police act like this, how can a boy and girl sit together peacefully in a public place in this metropolitan city,” he asked.
Meanwhile, the police have denied allegations of moral policing. “There is nothing unusual. It is a routine drive conducted to apprehend individuals involved in illegal activities and pick up minors, especially school students, who skip classes and wander around the premises,” said Ernakulam Central sub-inspector P A Ajay Kumar, who was part of the inspection team.
Police refute allegations of moral policing
Around 10 officers, including a woman sub-inspector and a woman civil police officer, were part of the drive. “If we spot students, we report them to their parents and school authorities. Rather than moral policing, it is an activity of the police against the negative trends in society,” he said.
“We didn’t spot a single school student during the inspection,” said Ajay, adding that the police collected the personal details of the youths to confirm the presence of minors.
Kochi City Police Commissioner S Syam Sundar also refuted the allegations of moral policing. “This is part of our regular weekly drive in public places across the city’s four divisions. The main aim is to identify and determine anti-social elements and to take precautionary measures against negative trends,” he said. Referring to the inspection at Marine Drive, Syam Sundar said: “The drive aims to identify minor students wandering there. We have received information that minors are getting involved in illegal activities such as drug trade and other suspicious activities.” “There hasn’t been a single incident of moral policing registered in the city in recent days, and we stand firmly against such negative practices,” he added.