Now, Ahmedabad police seek to play moral police against couples

In a move that may trigger a controversy, the Ahmedabad police commissioner on Monday directed the owners of hotels and guest-houses to inform the local police if a young couple occupies a room for less than two hours.

"If a young girl and boy come to stay in a room without any bags and if they leave in two hours or less, then the concerned police station will have to be informed immediately," says a notification issued by police commissioner Shivanand Jha.

"Their contact details like the cell-phone number and residential address should also be given to the police," it added. Two recent crimes in hotel rooms -- gangrape of a girl and murder of a girl by her boyfriend -- prompted this directive, according to the commissioner.

"There is a need to keep control over the people who hire rooms in the hotels in their own interest and that of the public at large," said the notification.

The hotel-owners will also have to install CCTV cameras in premises so as to capture faces of the customers. Rooms will be provided only after taking signatures of the persons who would be living there.

Last month, a 20-year-old girl was allegedly raped and killed by her 19-year-old boyfriend in a hotel room in Ranip area. Earlier this month, five men were arrested on charges of raping a minor girl in a hotel room in Kagdapith area.