KOCHI: Following the complaint from Kochi Metro Rail Ltd(KMRL) regarding ticketless travel by State Industrial Security Force (SISF) personnel, the Kerala Police Association has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking his intervention in the matter.
“As a public sector agency, the Metro Rail authorities should have shown basic courtesy and responsibility to check the facts before levelling such an allegation. They, however, chose to persist with the baseless charge and circulated it through the mainstream as well as the social media,” the letter said.
The association has urged the CM to issue railway duty cards to police personnel deployed on Metro security on the lines of Railway Police(GRP/RPF) to avoid similar situations in future.
Even as it urged stern action against any officer found travelling without a valid ticket during off-duty hours, it said the baseless allegations levelled against the SISF personnel had indeed dented the image of the entire police force.
According to the association, SISF personnel on duty here had no option other than to depend on Metro trains to travel among the Metro stations as part of the duty.
The KMRL authorities had lodged a complaint with Kochi Range IG P Vijayan in this regard.
‘Janakeeya Yatra’ on Metro: Case registered against UDF activists
Kochi: The Aluva police have registered a case against UDF workers for allegedly creating a ruckus during their ‘unruly’ journey on board the Kochi Metro in the name of ‘Janakeeya Yatra’, led by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on June 20. Officers said a case has been registered against UDF activists under the Metro Railways (Maintenance and Protection) Ac.t 2002.
The action comes in the wake of a complaint filed by the Assistant Line Superintendent of the Metro. The Act stipulates no demonstration of any kind shall be held on any part of the Metro railway or its premises. Violators shall be punishable with imprisonment up to six months or with fine up to D1,000 or both. The ‘Janakeeya Yatra’ was held in protest against ignoring Chandy and other UDF leaders from the inaugural event of the Kochi Metro.