15 held by anti-Romeo squads in Noida

As many as 15 people were held today by the anti-Romeosquads of the Gautam Buddh Nagar police in the city for allegedly harassing women and girls, officials said.

A drive was conducted by a team of officials from Sector 24 police station on the instructions of Gautam Buddh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Pal Sharma, they said.

"The squad toured around schools, parks, markets, coaching centres and other public spaces," a police official said.

"Fifteen persons were held for making vulgar and indecent gestures at women and girls and action taken against them," the official said.

On August 23, five people were arrested by the anti-Romeo squads for similar offences, while seven others were briefly held and let off with warning in Sector 20 police station area.

The 'anti-Romeosquads' are sleuths -- both male and female -- deployed in public places in plain clothes. The squad was formed soon after Yogi Adityanath assumed the office of chief minister in Uttar Pradesh last year in order to put a check on stalkers and eve-teasers in the state.

Those held have been charged under Indian Penal Code section 294 (doing obscene acts of singing obscene songs in public space in annoyance to others), the police said.