'Moral policing' cuffs on 2 in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, July 14: After a married couple were harassed by a gang of "moral policemen" who descended on the husband's office last Sunday to demand to know what the wife was doing there, two men allegedly belonging to the CPM have been arrested.

Malayalam journalist Jisha Elizabeth had accompanied husband John A. to the office of the ad agency he runs, about 100 metres from their Thiruvananthapuram home.

"Since it was a Sunday, other staff were absent. I was on sick leave and John did not want to leave me alone at home. I was resting and he working when the doorbell rang repeatedly. John opened the door and the men started questioning him about what was happening in the office. John tried to explain but they would not listen. He then called me to clarify their doubts. I showed them my mangalsutra but they insulted me saying anyone could pick up a similar thing for Rs 50. Finally, I called my office, which called police," Jisha said.

Sources in the home minister's office said one of the arrested men was a CPM branch secretary and the other a local committee member. But circle inspector Ajith Kumar, who made the arrests, and police commissioner H. Venkatesh would not confirm this.

CPM Thiruvananthapuram district secretary Kadakampally Surendran said: "I don't know if they are CPM activists. I will have to check with the party unit there before confirming it.... My view is it is enough to see them as anti-social elements."

The two are out on bail.