Mumbai, April 4: The state government has said no to sex education in schools, its Home Minister has gone after dance bars, now the Mumbai Police are cracking down on couples looking to spend some quiet moments in public places like seafronts.

Over the past week till last evening, the police have slapped Rs 1,200 each as fine on at least 80 persons and let off some others with a warning in a drive against “indecent behaviour” along the seafront in the Bandra Reclamation area. Now they say they will expand their vigil to Marine Drive and Dadar Chowpatty and secluded gardens irrespective of complaints from local residents.

“Police action against the couples is welcomed by the local residents,” Additional Commissioner of Police, Western region, Bipin Bihari told Newsline. “We will continue to take strict action against couples at Bandra reclamation and a few other spots.”

“We will not spare those caught in an indecent situation at a public place, be it anywhere, strict action will be taken as per the CrPC and Bombay Police Act,” said Additional Commissioner of Police, Southern region, D Kanakratnam.

BJP leader Shaina NC, who’s a fashion designer and a Bandra resident, said: “Let them (the couples) express their feelings by holding each other’s hands. What are the police going to achieve by slapping Rs 1,200 as fines on these college students?”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Brijesh Singh said: “Foot patrolling is always there on Marine Drive. However, we haven’t received much complaints about such activities.”

At Dadar Chowaptty, the police are going to focus on the area behind the Mayor’s bungalow and the bylanes near VSNL office and Kirti College, which they say are the favourite spots of couples. “We have asked our men to keep a watch as there were many complaints from local residents last year. But this year the number of complaints has gone down as a result of our prompt action,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police of (Zone 5) Dnyaneshwar Phadtare.