Police in Karnataka’s Davangere district conducted surprise inspections at several gyms and fitness centres after the BJP and pro-Hindu organisations alleged that women were targets of love jihad – under the guise of love and sexually exploited.
The inspections were carried out on Monday by teams led by Additional Superintendent of Police Parameshwara Hegde, following directions from Superintendent of Police Shekhar H.T. Separate teams, including women police officers, were also deployed across the city. as reported in Deccan Herald.
According to the police, the exercise was aimed at ensuring the safety and security of women visiting gyms. During the inspections, officers collected details of gym owners, trainers and women trainers and instructed fitness centre owners to verify the backgrounds of employees before hiring them.
Women police personnel also interacted with female members at the gyms, urging them to immediately report any incidents of harassment, suspicious activity or feelings of insecurity. They assured women that the identities of complainants would be kept confidential.
Police officials said a meeting of gym and fitness centre owners from Davangere city and the wider district would be convened soon to issue guidelines and safety instructions.
The inspections come days after members of the Sri Ram Sene, Hindu Jagarana Vedike, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest outside a gym in Saraswathinagar, demanding that police register a suo motu case over alleged love jihad activities in gyms and fitness centres across the city.
The protesters alleged that women attending a fitness centre in Nituvalli were sexually exploited and blackmailed using private videos. They further claimed that one of the alleged victims attempted suicide following the incident.
The organisations also alleged that hidden cameras had been installed inside the gym’s changing room to secretly record women. According to the allegations, the recordings were later used to blackmail women into sexual exploitation.
Following the allegations, Davanagere MP Prabha Mallikarjun held a meeting with police officials to discuss the matter.
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