With the coastal districts on edge following three back-to-back murders in the recent past, the city police on Thursday came out with a bizarre order that left most Mangalureans stumped.
It banned male pillion riders from 6pm to 6am! However, within 45 minutes the order was withdrawn following severe criticism.
But by then the announcement had triggered a deluge of memes and jokes on social media.
A picture of a single-seater one-wheeler went viral, with a message that it has been specially designed for Mangaluru. Messages criticising the failure of the administration to rein in anti-socials while punishing the public with unwarranted restrictions were quick to flood the internet.
Even before the order was withdrawn, advocate Dinesh Hegde Ulepady wrote on Facebook that citizens have adhered to all the restrictions that have been imposed by the district administration and police. Criticising the ban on male pillion riders, he stated, tongue in cheek, we will not be surprised if authorities ask passengers to travel solo in buses. The trolls had a field day once again when the order was withdrawn.
