THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A police Sub-Inspector has landed in the soup for misbehaving with a government geologist who seized a lorry carrying illegally-mined sand. The State Human Rights Commission has asked the Thiruvananthapuram district police chief to take disciplinary action against the Mannanthala SI and submit the report within three months. The order was issued by acting chairman P Mohana Das.
The SI has been accused of abrasive behaviour towards Sajikumar, assistant geologist with the Mining and Geology Department. Sajikumar, who came to the station with the lorry laden with illegally mined sand, asked the police to take the vehicle into custody.
In his petition to the commission, Sajikumar said the SI shouted expletives and attempted to manhandle him. The incident occurred on February 4, 2015. The sand lorry was seized from Karamana. Sajikumar reached the Mannanthala police station after the Karamana police refused to take custody of the vehicle citing unavailability of parking space.
The SP, Human Rights Commission, conducted a probe into the complaint and recorded the statements of the complainant and the SI. Though the Rights Panel found charges of manhandling couldn’t be substantiated, the SI should have behaved in a decent way towards the gazetted rank officer, it observed.
“The SI did not comply with the responsibilities laid down in the fifth chapter of Kerala Police Act. Section 29 of the Act is clear on the behaviour expected of police officers. The SI could have behaved in a decent manner with an officer who approached him for official purpose. The SI has committed dereliction of duty,” the order said.
The Commission has asked the district police chief to take action against the sub-inspector and submit a report within three months.