KOCHI: Amid mounting criticism over the police’s handling of the Cheranalloor accident case, the government has removed S Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar as the Kochi City commissioner. R Nishanthini, IG (South Zone), replaces him.
Meanwhile, the suspension of four station-level officers over the alleged lapses has triggered discontent within the force, with sources questioning the grounds for the move and alleging that lower-ranking personnel are being held accountable for decisions taken in the course of duty.
“Had the suspension been for registering a case against a minor, there could have been legal basis to examine the action. But the complaint centred on sections invoked in the FIR. The legality of the action against the officers needs to be examined,” a source said.
Stating that Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with causing death by negligence, was initially invoked, the source questioned why officers were facing disciplinary action over omission of Section 105, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The question of whether additional provisions should have been invoked must be examined through appropriate legal process, rather than automatically holding officers responsible, they argued.
“Based on the statement given at the time, police registered the case under the provision they considered applicable. It was only during subsequent verification that they realised the driver was a minor. Given the information available, officers invoked Section 106(1) of the BNS. What exactly was their lapse?” The source said the officers had no adverse service records. “It is often lower-rung personnel who bear the consequences of such controversies. A suspension can lead to a substantial reduction in salary, which is a serious concern for an ordinary officer.”
“Police have to act in accordance with the law and follow prescribed procedures. The law cannot be interpreted differently depending on the circumstances of a particular case,” an officer said.