Angry neighbors threaten Delhi couple for holding hands in public: ‘Badtameez ka ilaaj hona chahiye’

In a surprising turn of events, a young man from Delhi found himself facing hostility from his neighbors after they objected to him and his girlfriend holding hands. The 21-year-old was taken aback when he discovered threatening messages circulating in a WhatsApp group, where residents discussed “teaching them a lesson” and even mentioned involving the police.

Sharing his experience in the “r/Delhi” community, he mentioned, “I typically spend time with my girlfriend in our society’s area, where we sit on a bench and relax, usually around 8:30 PM. We don’t engage in any inappropriate behavior, just holding hands and sitting close, which is pretty normal for our age.”

In his post, he included screenshots of messages alerting others about their so-called “indecent behavior.”

One concerned neighbor wrote, “There’s a couple, a girl and a boy, who are often in the park at night, behaving inappropriately,” suggesting that their actions deserved community scrutiny.

This message led to a strong reaction from other group members, with one person even proposing to “record them” to see if their behavior was genuinely unacceptable. Another comment in the group said, “These shameless youngsters need to be corrected.” Someone else suggested confronting the couple directly, but one member claimed they had “tried” to do so, but others “prevented” them.

A different suggestion, which garnered four votes, stated, “I think the security supervisors should be notified so they can question them in their own way and give them a stern warning.”

“What actions can the police take?”

The Reddit user expressed that the numerous messages urging police involvement against the young couple have caused them to feel anxious. They mentioned that some people made unkind comments about their parents, criticizing their parenting. One individual even suggested recording them and sharing it online. The user pointed out that no one has ever approached them directly to express discomfort.

The post sparked a backlash against moral policing from the man’s neighbors, with many expressing disbelief at the outrage directed toward the couple. One user questioned what the police would actually do, asking if they would arrest someone for simply sitting together or holding hands. They argued that there’s no need to be afraid of these self-appointed moral guardians if no wrongdoing has taken place, as they hold no real power.

Another user voiced their frustration about the culture of interfering in others’ lives, stating that moral policing is one of the most negative aspects of Indian society.

Third User Commented, “Isn’t this a little bit too much? Indian Millennials need to stop getting their nose into everything.”

Another commenter wrote, “There’s no case. The police will threaten to inform their parents and either the girl or the boy will collapse under pressure because of this.”