THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Assistant sub-inspector of Neyyar Dam Police Station Gopakumar who misbehaved with a complainant at the station on Thursday committed gross misconduct and tarnished the image of the force, says the inquiry report by Sanjaykumar Gurudin, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Thiruvananthapuram Range.
The report submitted to state police chief Loknath Behera said that the Grade ASI was in no way connected with the investigation into the petition.
The video of the officer's action, shot by the complainant himself, had gone viral on social media triggering public outrage. The officer was seen verbally abusing the complainant, identified as Sudevan hailing from Pallivetta, in the presence of his daughter who was heard crying in the end of the video. A few days ago, Sudevan had filed a police complaint after his elder daughter went missing. Police had found that the girl had eloped with her lover.
In his report, the DIG said that the officer conducted "grave misconduct, unbecoming of a police officer and abuse of an authority". His strident and rude behaviour tarnished the image of the Kerala Police and his attitude is highly detrimental to the upkeep of discipline in the force.
"He was in no way connected with Sudevan's petition. Gopakumar just happened to come to the police station after another petition inquiry. So, using such language is not justified in any way, rather if he had decided to intervene, he should have been calmer as compared to the officer who was dealing with the petitioner from the beginning," the report said.
"Instead of being sensitive and understanding the plea of a father whose daughter was found missing, his shouting and using such bad language towards the petitioner is grave misconduct and highly intolerable," the DIG reported.
The report also accused the officer of being in civil dress while on duty. The DIG said the officer's "egoistic and imprudent act" has to be nipped in the bud. He should be trained at the battalion on the qualities required by police officers. Following public outrage, he was transferred to the KAP 5th battalion in Idukki as a punishment. In addition to stringent departmental disciplinary proceedings, an oral enquiry has also been initiated against the officer, the report said.