Hyderabad: Hyderabad cops are hounding young couples engaged in public display of affection (PDA) in the city’s parks. After receiving complaints from citizens about the ‘make out’ sessions of couples, the Central Zone police has been conducting drives at the Indira Park, Sanjeevaiah Park, Lumbini Park and parks around Hussainsagar against couples. Cops conduct decoy operations and take couples to police stations to counsel them. The police also warn them that cases will be booked against them under the City Police Act and the Public Nuisance Act and their parents would be informed.
Meanwhile, the couples allege that the police is harassing them and engaging in moral policing. “What is wrong in showing affection to a person in public. We do not think law prohibits showing consensual love. Cops terrorise us as if we had committed some sexual crimes,” said a BTech student who was picked up by the Gandhinagar police while he was cuddling his girlfriend.
Central Zone DCP V.B. Kamalasan Reddy said the police step in only when couples “cross limits.”
“We do not pick up couples visiting parks. But if anybody creates inconvenience to others by engaging in public obscene activities we step in,” said Mr Reddy. The DCP said that many families visit parks with children and couples engaging in PDA is offensive for them. “In the name of personal freedom nobody should engage in such activities. If they do they can be booked for public nuisance,” said Mr Reddy. He said that most such couples are found at the Sanjeevaiah Park. So far cops from Gandhinagar, Ramgo-palpet and Saifabad have picked up youngsters. “We generally do not book cases against them, but warn them,” said a senior official. Cops dressed in plain clothes are deployed in major parks.
