TIRUCHY: The city witnessed instances of moral policing on Valentines' Day, with police personnel stationed outside tourist spots in the city like Mukkombu, Kallanai and others denying entry to unmarried couples citing security reasons.
An unmarried couple who were denied entry into the Mukkombu park, said, "When we asked the reason, the police said they were deployed to prevent any nuisance and also to prevent right-wing organisations from attacking them."
On the contrary, married couples were allowed inside these places. A Kavin, who was similarly barred from entering the park, remarked that the police, in the name of preventing moral policing, were actually enforcing it.
According to a police personnel employed at Mukkombu park, the measures were put in place as a precaution because the city police expected right-wing organisations to stage a protest against couples celebrating Valentine's Day. Tiruchy Superintendent of Police Sujith Kumar said he had ordered the police to prevent such protests and instances of moral policing.
Regarding the barring of entry to unmarried couples, he said, "We will check if such instances were happening and take remedial measures." City Commissioner of Police M Sathiya Priya also remarked that the order was to prevent moral policing and prevent unfortunate incidents.