Romancing runaway couples rattle Haryana cops

CHANDIGARH: Haryana cops guarding runaway couples in safe houses across the state are in a fix as young lovers, relieved to be away from disapproving parents and families, get carried away in their romancing and, as one policeman put it, “behave like honeymooners”.

Police personnel on duty of guarding these runaway couples in the safe houses claim they are uncomfortable and get very embarrassed by their romantic behaviour.

A few days ago, a couple from Rajasthan, who had eloped and got married against the wishes of their families in Hisar, had claimed the SHO of the safe house in Fatehabad police station was allegedly torturing them and forcing the woman to meet her parents.

However, the cops claim the incharge of the police station, SHO Bimla Devi had only pulled up one of the four couples in the safe house for behaving as if they were on honeymoon.

“Her fault was only that being an older woman, she tried to tell the couple that the safe house was in the women police station with only female staff. It looks indecent if they behave weirdly. Anyhow, their complaint is pending inquiry with DSP HQ Jagdishji,” said a police official. “Can you imagine the condition of the staff on duty, especially as majority of them are female,” the police official added.

DSP (HQ) Jagdish Kumar is investigating the couple’s claim on orders of Fatehabad SP Deepak Saharan. The DSP, however, refused to share details of his investigation. “I have finalised the report and it will be submitted to SP for further action,” he said.

The problem is the same in other safe houses for runaway couples in the state. In Hisar too, cops admitted that they have been embarrassed by the behaviour of the runaway couples they are providing security.

“There have been times when they would start drawing or sketching their love stories on walls of the washrooms and the rooms of the safe house. Now, we tell them as soon as they get here that they have to maintain decorum like at home and have to behave properly,” Raj Rani, the in-charge of the safe house in Hisar, said.

In Jind too, the staff guarding the runaway couples complained that the young lovers behaved as if they were on honeymoon.

Police personnel on duty of guarding these runaway couples in the safe houses claim they are uncomfortable and get very embarrassed by their romantic behaviour.

A few days ago, a couple from Rajasthan, who had eloped and got married against the wishes of their families in Hisar, had claimed the SHO of the safe house in Fatehabad police station was allegedly torturing them and forcing the woman to meet her parents.

However, the cops claim the incharge of the police station, SHO Bimla Devi had only pulled up one of the four couples in the safe house for behaving as if they were on honeymoon.

“Her fault was only that being an older woman, she tried to tell the couple that the safe house was in the women police station with only female staff. It looks indecent if they behave weirdly. Anyhow, their complaint is pending inquiry with DSP HQ Jagdishji,” said a police official. “Can you imagine the condition of the staff on duty, especially as majority of them are female,” the police official added.

DSP (HQ) Jagdish Kumar is investigating the couple’s claim on orders of Fatehabad SP Deepak Saharan. The DSP, however, refused to share details of his investigation. “I have finalised the report and it will be submitted to SP for further action,” he said.

The problem is the same in other safe houses for runaway couples in the state. In Hisar too, cops admitted that they have been embarrassed by the behaviour of the runaway couples they are providing security.

“There have been times when they would start drawing or sketching their love stories on walls of the washrooms and the rooms of the safe house. Now, we tell them as soon as they get here that they have to maintain decorum like at home and have to behave properly,” Raj Rani, the in-charge of the safe house in Hisar, said.

In Jind too, the staff guarding the runaway couples complained that the young lovers behaved as if they were on honeymoon.