Going by the number of people (1,800) issued challans last year on Valentine’s day, only 505 challans were issued this year. One need not look that far, this New Year too, almost 1,000 people had been issued challans.

Inspector (Traffic) Mandeep Singh said: “We were not targeting young boys but doing routine work. Even on a normal day, we issue challans to as many as 450 persons. So, this number is not very high. The police are not anti-people. Our job is to maintain law and order in the city.”

So, while khakhi-clad policemen were quite visible across the city, they tried to keep away from the revellers.

College students, meanwhile, were not far behind and showed their protest by hosting dinners and cutting cakes.

Ruchika Singla, a housewife said: “I never had any interest in Valentine’s Day, but I went to a pub along with my friends and family as a mark of protest against the saffron brigade. And though this was my first to visit to a pub, I want to thank the hooligans for showing us the door of a pub.”