Vellore fort out of bounds for Valentines-Day revellers

VELLORE: What started as a beautiful, happy day for young lovers in the city here turned into disappointment later as the day progressed, as police personnel prevented the pairs from entering the fort, which usually provided the youngsters with the necessary ambience to observe the Valentine’s day.

Friday morning saw several young lovers in the city visiting the fort to spend time there.

Police sources said that volunteers of some outfits including the Hindu Munnani had raised objections to young people being permitted inside the fort to celebrate the day.

As a follow up measure, with orders from police top brass, police personnel had barricaded the fort from the Gandhi statue to keep out the invading pairs, to avert any problems.

Police personnel kept a constant watch and permitted only married people to enter the fort premises. Women wearing either their ‘Thaali’ or ‘Meti’ were allowed inside.

Young people like school and college students were totally prevented from entering the place.

Though this arrangement came as a bolt from the blue to the young lovers, they immediately tried to go to the Periyar Park. But unfortunately, the park was closed for maintenance, leaving them stranded.

Though the fort was open for general public, footfalls here for the day was very limited than usual, sources said.

Local Hindu Munnani leader Mahesh said, "The concept of love was being corrupted by people who are involved in love affairs. In the name of love, obscenity was being propagated everywhere, which went against the spirit of Tamil culture. Hence, such vulgarity should be opposed and weeded out from society."