KOCHI: A sub-inspector with the Aluva East police station was suspended on Sunday for allegedly stealing Rs 3,000 from the purse of a Rajasthan native who got run over by a train two weeks ago. District Police Chief Vaibhav Saxena placed Grade SI Saleem P M under suspension pending inquiry.
The Rajasthan resident was run over by the train near Aluva railway station on March 19 after he tried to alight from the moving train. The police reached the spot and conducted the inquest. A purse was recovered from the deceased, which the police kept at the police station after counting the money.
Sources said the purse had Rs 8,000 initially. However, when the money was counted a few days later, Rs 3,000 was found missing. CCTV footage from the station showed Saleem taking the money out of the wallet, the police said.
Saleem claimed he took the money to pay a youth who had helped the police conduct inquest procedures of the mutilated body. It is usual for the police to seek the help of locals in such cases and hand them a small amount in return.