On April 3, 2017 Unicorn Booty reported: An “anti-Romeo” police squad in Uttar Pradesh, India, arrested an uncle and his nephew, mistakenly believing the pair to be a gay couple.
The police picked the two up from a bus stop at Rampur, Galaxy Mag writes. The two of them had to pay 5000 rupees (about $77) in order to be released.
The incident was exposed by reporters for India Today TV. It has sparked discussion on the increasingly invasive activities of the “anti-Romeo” squads.
What are “anti-Romeo” squads?According to the Indian Express, the anti-Romeo squads are special groups of police teams and vigilantes formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since its recent electoral victory in Uttar Pradesh.
The squads were originally supposed to combat the scourge of “Eve-teasing” (street harassment and sexual assault), a major problem women face in the region. When the BJP first proposed the squads during their campaign, the idea was wildly popular.
Read more at: In India, Uncle and Nephew Mistaken for Gay Couple, Arrested
