(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-27 09:02

Police in Jinshi, Central China's Hunan Province, sparked a great controversy among locals when they fined a pair of lovers a total of 5,000 yuan ($663) because the pair embraced and kissed in the public.

The lovers, Chen and Yu, were taken to a police sub-station for questioning. They were fined when three plainclothes police officers found them embracing each other and kissing on a local river bank Saturday night.

The police said Chen and Yu had corrupted public morals and should be punished.

But many local residents argued it was not the police's business. Chen and Yu have sought help from relevant government departments.

(Sanxiang Metropolitan News)