Image Courtesy: twitter
In a shocking incident that took place in Ram ki Paudi in Ayodhya, a group of men verbally abused and then physically assaulted a man for allegedly kissing his own wife while taking a dip in River Sarayu.
A video of the incident went viral on social media and may be viewed here:
प्रभारी निरीक्षक थाना कोतवाली अयोध्या को जांच व आवश्यक विधिक कार्यवाही हेतु निर्देशित किया गया है।
— AYODHYA POLICE (@ayodhya_police) June 22, 2022
In the video the man can be seen protectively keeping his arm around his wife, and talking to her. Then it appears that he either whispers something into her ears, or gently pecks her on the cheek. Either way, it is nobody else’s business but the couple’s.
But it is shocking how an instant later, the man standing directly behind the couple watching them keenly, swoops in and drags the man away from his wife, separating the couple. He hits the man and uses swear words even as other men gather around the couple and start thrashing the man. They slap him so hard, his glasses fall into the river. They pay no heed to the wife’s pleas. The couple is forced out of the water and led out of the bathing ghat area.
As soon as the video was tweeted by Jansatta journalist Suneet Singh, the Ayodhya Police responded to it directing the “Inspector in-charge of the Kotwali Police Station in Ayodhya to investigate the matter and take necessary action.”
The police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) based on the video. Ayodhya Station House Officer (SHO) Ashwini Pandey told the Indian Express, “We lodged the case after taking cognisance of the video. We are trying to identify the accused as well as the victim who was beaten up.” It is noteworthy that the victim couple hasn’t approached the police yet, perhaps fearing retaliation by conservative individuals and right-wing groups.
10-12 unidentified persons have been booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code. An excerpt from the complaint quoted by the publication reads, “The video is from Ram ki Paudi in Ayodhya where a man and woman are seen bathing close to each other. They are abused by some people, followed by an assault on the man. This is a criminal offence and punishable.”
This step by the police is an example of a long-overdue progressive outlook towards public display of affection that remains stigmatised in a conservative society like India even in this day and age. Moral policing needs to be consigned to the dustbins of history.
Related:
MP Assembly passes ‘anti-love Jihad’ law by voice vote
Gau Raksha, anti-Romeo and the deafening silences of PM Modi and the BJP