<p>Kerala is witnessing a row over a police salute with a city mayor complaining that the police were not saluting him, while a woman MLA allegedly scolded a probationary sub-inspector for not saluting her.</p>.<p>Thrissur Mayor M K Varghese wrote to the state police chief complaining that the police officials were not showing due respect to him and not even saluting him, though he comes after the governor and the chief minister in the protocol.</p>.<p>Varghese, who contested as a Congress rebel independent candidate, became mayor with the left-front's support in the hung Thrissur city corporation council, said that he was raising the issue as the police were not disrespecting him personally, but disrespecting the mayor's post.</p>.<p>The police higher-ups are looking into the mayor's complaint.</p>.<p>Close on the heels of that, a fresh allegation came up that CPI(M) MLA C K Asha pulled up a probationary woman sub-inspector a few months back for not saluting her. The MLA summoned the police personnel to her house and made her salute, alleged a BJP local leader of Kottayam district.</p>.<p>Incidentally, the woman officer involved was Annie Siva, who is now in the limelight after her struggle in life became viral and received much appreciation.</p>.<p>Asha told a section of media that the incident that took place in April was out of some misunderstanding and it was settled cordially. She denied the allegation that she made the police official salute her.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, a retired Director General of Police said that police personnel were supposed to salute only higher officials and ministers in the hierarchy. Mayors and MLAs will not come in this category. Only in cases where a police officer calls on a mayor for any official purpose, they would be saluted a matter of courtesy. A police personnel wearing a cap could salute any person as part of greeting.</p>
<p>Kerala is witnessing a row over a police salute with a city mayor complaining that the police were not saluting him, while a woman MLA allegedly scolded a probationary sub-inspector for not saluting her.</p>.<p>Thrissur Mayor M K Varghese wrote to the state police chief complaining that the police officials were not showing due respect to him and not even saluting him, though he comes after the governor and the chief minister in the protocol.</p>.<p>Varghese, who contested as a Congress rebel independent candidate, became mayor with the left-front's support in the hung Thrissur city corporation council, said that he was raising the issue as the police were not disrespecting him personally, but disrespecting the mayor's post.</p>.<p>The police higher-ups are looking into the mayor's complaint.</p>.<p>Close on the heels of that, a fresh allegation came up that CPI(M) MLA C K Asha pulled up a probationary woman sub-inspector a few months back for not saluting her. The MLA summoned the police personnel to her house and made her salute, alleged a BJP local leader of Kottayam district.</p>.<p>Incidentally, the woman officer involved was Annie Siva, who is now in the limelight after her struggle in life became viral and received much appreciation.</p>.<p>Asha told a section of media that the incident that took place in April was out of some misunderstanding and it was settled cordially. She denied the allegation that she made the police official salute her.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, a retired Director General of Police said that police personnel were supposed to salute only higher officials and ministers in the hierarchy. Mayors and MLAs will not come in this category. Only in cases where a police officer calls on a mayor for any official purpose, they would be saluted a matter of courtesy. A police personnel wearing a cap could salute any person as part of greeting.</p>
