Just few days after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan instructed the state DGP to take strict action against incidents of moral policing, a couple was taken to a police station for sitting together in an allegedly obscene manner near the Napier Museum in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, Februay 21.
The incident came to light after Vishnu Vichu, the youth, who is alleged to have hugged and kissed the girl Arathy, posted a live video of the incident on his Facebook page. From the video, it is understood that two women officials had complained that the couple was sitting in an objectionable manner in a public space. The couple was heard questioning the officials how keeping his hand on her shoulder can be called vulgar. To this, they replied: "We are not trying to punish you; we would like to inform your parents."
The couple was also taken to the police jeep and Vishnu also shared a selfie of them from inside vehicle on the social media. However, it is understood that they were asked to pay a fine of Rs 200 and were let off only after the girl's father informed that they are due to get married. Meanwhile, the police claimed that the couple's behaviour was creating nuisance. "The couple were reluctant to give their identity, so we arrested them," said Latha, a circle inspector in the women's cell to the NewsMinute.
It has to be noted that an alleged incident of moral policing was registered against five people in Kollam recently for assaulting a man and harassing his girlfriend. In the wake of increasing rate of similar incidents, the Kerala CM posted on his Facebook page: "People should think about the situation if everyone starts circulating visuals of men and women sitting together in public places. These criminal activities would not be tolerated in Kerala."
Meanwhile, the latest live Facebook video of Vishnu and Arathy has been watched over 56,000 times on the social media at the time of writing this report. While many netizens have lashed out at the couple for reacting in the way they did, others have appreciated their style of reacting against moral policing.
Watch the video here:
