On August 6, cops in Mumbai hit a new low with their moral policing after personnel from a “special raiding party” detained over a dozen couples from at least four of the city’s hotels. What’s extremely troubling is the fact that none of those arrested were guilty of breaking a single law. They were in reserved rooms and well within their rights to privacy. In other words, law-abiding citizens.
But instead of apologising for the rude knocks on doors and walking away (the team claims it was relying on tip-offs which described “illegal activities”), the 3 am raiding party charged... the couples with “public indecency”, kept them at a local police station for hours, made a few youngsters call up their parents and then let them off with a fine of Rs 1,200.
But not a single crime committed. After a public outrage —online — Mumbai’s “bedroom police” has apologised and an inquiry into the incident has been ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself”. There are lessons here for Hyderabad — a city that’s currently aspiring to attract billions in foreign investment and talent. To show the world police authorities have direct, legally-flawed access to your hotel rooms, would spell doom for all of its dreams. Imagine moving to a city that promises you a better life and then finding yourself being paraded in front of cameras and then having to call parents and explain your predicament. The leading lights of law enforcement here are shocked by what transpired in Mumbai.
Peravaram Ramulu, Ex-DGP and Chairman, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation says police has “no business” indulging in moral policing.
“Whether it’s Hyderabad, Mumbai or any other city. They should just stick to their jobs of maintaining law and order, regulation of traffic and other earmarked duties. Police cannot book cases against consenting couples in hotel rooms under Section 110 (indecent behaviour in public). There is nothing wrong with consenting adults cohabitating a room.”
Another top cop C. Anjaneya Reddy, a former DG rank IPS officer, wondered how the entire incident turned into a “public offence”. “It is legally not correct to arrest adults staying in a hotel room under Section 110. How can what one does in the privacy of a room become public?,” he asks. And rights advocate Vasudha Nagaraj is downright furious.
“Damaging to a city’s image? Of course, yes. What were they (Mumbai police) thinking? Besides damage to a city’s image these incidents hurt women the most. They are paraded in front of cameras, there’s backlash from parents, societal shaming marriages are at stake — it’s a nightmare for them,” she says. In reports, one of the female detainees from the Mumbai incident spoke anonymously saying she was “contemplating suicide”. That is usually the fallout. Cities must guarantee rights first to all citizens. Only then can we call ourselves developed,” she adds.
