Close on the heels of a police officer in Kerala being suspended from service on charges of harassing a foreign national, another police officer has been suspended for allegedly booting a train passenger.
The incident came to light after a video recorded by a passenger went viral, triggering much criticism. Subsequently, an inquiry was ordered into the incident and the police official was kept off from duty with the railway police.
Assistant sub-inspector of police M C Pramod with the railway police wing of Kerala police was seen booting a train passenger, who was allegedly in an inebriated condition in the Maveli Express train that started from Mangaluru on Sunday evening. The police officer's rude behaviour with the passenger took place as the train reached Kannur district in Kerala.
Following suspicion that the passenger was travelling without tickets and was in a drunken state, the police official allegedly slapped and pulled him down and pushed him aside with boots. Some passengers had also objected to the police officer's actions. At the next station, the passenger was dragged out of the train. The passenger's whereabouts were not yet known.
A preliminary inquiry by the police higher-ups found that the traveller's ticket examiner sought police help after the passenger refused to show the ticket and was suspected to be in a drunken state. A detailed probe by a DySP rank officer was ordered.
On New Year's Eve, a Swedish national running a homestay at Kovalam tourist spot in Thiruvananthapuram was allegedly harassed by police for carrying three bottles of liquor without bills. The foreigner even emptied the bottles in protest. A police officer was suspended from service, triggering resentment among the police personnel.
With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan holding the home portfolio, criticisms against the police are becoming a reason of embarrassment to the state government.
Check out latest videos from DH: