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Last Updated : 2023-12-04 00:11:00
Mon, 04 Dec 2023 Today's Paper
10 July 2010 02:30 am - 14 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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Young couples in Sri Lanka are now afraid to even hold hands or kiss in public after police rounded up over 300 people for “indecent behaviour”. Though holding hands is a common sight in the island nation’s public transport, parks and bus stops, no couple is seen kissing or cuddling in public.
Police said these incidents cause embarrassment to ordinary people who are not used to such westernised behaviour.
“Kissing, cuddling and holding hands in public places are indecent behaviour,” police spokesman Preshantha Jayakody was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
“But the majority of these couples are schoolgoing children and they come to certain places without their parents’ knowledge. That is why we arrested them,” he said.
He said they had no choice but to act on public complaints about young lovers kissing and cuddling openly. Police officers said this was the first time they had made such arrests.
Shenali is a student of a leading secondary school in Colombo. She has a boyfriend but now she is scared to meet him after the arrests. “Can holding hands of a loved one be an offence?” Shenali asks.
She says she used to sip a cold drink while holding her boyfriend’s hand or leaned on to him, but now she is afraid to do so.
“If police catch us, my parents would come to know of our relationship,” she said.
Meanwhile, Daya Gamage, a bank clerk who travels daily to Colombo by local train, wants the police to raid the trains to prevent such indecent behaviour there.
“Most of the elders look aside when they see such behaviour. If you see some of the couples, you will realise how the Sri Lankan culture is deteriorating. It is sad and police have taken a good action,” Gamage said.
According to the police spokesman, no tough legal action will be taken against the arrested people, but they will be strongly advised to behave properly in public places.
However, some couples criticised the police for arresting “innocent” lovers.
“We are not from rich families to go to luxurious hotels to meet our lovers. We go to a park or a snack bar just to talk. Who says that holding hands in a bus is an indecent behaviour? It is pathetic,” Samantha, another student, said. (ANI)
Las Saturday, 10 July 2010 05:02 AM
Comon.. its not 70's 80's or even 90's this 2010.
Munsif Saturday, 10 July 2010 05:10 AM
Its a good work to protect our next generation. Otherwise they will be misguided by these sick couples, which may cause the diseases in sri lanka which are currently affecting africa and Europe.
POL MAMA Saturday, 10 July 2010 05:31 AM
cops dont have any other work to do now????
Navin Saturday, 10 July 2010 06:46 AM
You don't get diseases from touching people usually unless if its someone like you.
Navin Saturday, 10 July 2010 06:47 AM
Let them rape and murder but drinking and holding hands seems to be the biggest crime now! Stupid cops.
Hope Saturday, 10 July 2010 07:03 AM
are they actually telling everyone to "get a room" to HOLD HANDS???
namal Saturday, 10 July 2010 08:50 AM
think this is just another way the govt distracts the masses. this strategy of theirs is getting OLD!
Mark Saturday, 10 July 2010 11:07 AM
This is madness. What is the offence that the police can arrest a couple for holding hands? Someone must challenge these police officers in a fundamental rights case. When you report a burglary to the police they take days to come, so if they have extra time let them work on tackling real crime!
Samson Saturday, 10 July 2010 01:55 PM
In Sri Lanka seeing some one happy and loving is a pain in others eye instead They love to see hatred, angry expressions. They do not care about all the ill disciplines that occur on the roads. having a girl friend or boy friend is a normal phenomenon for a grown up kid. It should not be a big issue, other wise they will end up with a prostitute. Are these policemen trying to show that they are well disciplined. We all know as to whether young lady can go to a police alone these days.
But on the roads our teenagers do things that needed to be prevented. Most of them now have camera phones and they take pictures of girls with out their consent. There are guys on the roads loitering and telling words to people violating other's rights.
citizen1 Saturday, 10 July 2010 02:59 PM
Old is not the word!! Predictable and irritating!
Jagath Lal Wickramas Saturday, 10 July 2010 03:03 PM
Stupid move , there are plenty of things to prevent before this
Mushi Sunday, 11 July 2010 06:30 AM
It seems like Navin is badly affected by the cops' actions. Anyway this will help prevent girls getting pregnant, and getting abortions illegally before marriage and will help minimise social problems.
Uditha33 Sunday, 11 July 2010 08:09 AM
How can anyone get pregnant by just holding hands?????
Mushi Sunday, 11 July 2010 01:33 PM
Holding hands,cuddlings,kissings are the initial steps on the road to such pregnancy and ultimate social problems.
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