UP cop says parents of those who elope should be jailed

The police department clarified that he had been 'misquoted' after a video of his speech went viral

A senior police officer, at a function in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district, threatened to send parents to jail if they approached him with complaints that their daughters had 'eloped' with their lovers.

“Aisa aksar mer paas shikayat ati hai ki koi Hindu ladki kisi Muslim ladke ke saath bhag gayi ya koi Muslim ladki Hindu ladke ke saath bhag gayi…main to aise maa-baap ko jail bhejna chahunga jo ye shikayat lekar ate hain…bus bachha paida kar ke chor deten hain (Often I have received complaints that a Hindu girl eloped with a Muslim boy, or a Muslim girl eloped with a Hindu boy...I would like to send such parents to jail...they just produce children and leave them be),” Rampur police chief Ashok Kumar Shukla said while speaking at a function on Wednesday.

Shukla said the parents should ponder over why such incidents were taking place.

As the video of Shukla’s comment went viral—inviting sharp reactions from opposition parties—the police department came out with a clarification saying he had been “misquoted” and that he never meant to hurt any one's sentiments.

The Samajwadi Party condemned the remarks and demanded action against the officer. “The UP police, which has failed to ensure safety of the women in the state, know how to give sermons like the head of the state (chief minister Yogi Adityanath),” a senior party leader said.

Senior officials here claimed they had not seen the video. “We have come to know about it from the media...we will examine the video and take appropriate action thereafter,” said a senior police official in Lucknow.