Pink Police harassment case: Inquiry report favours cop who misbehaved with man, daughter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: South Zone IG Harshita Attaluri, who probed the public harassment of a father and his minor daughter by a woman cop attached with the pink patrol near Attingal, has recommended the State Police chief not to take any further action against the erring cop.

In her report filed before DGP Anil Kant, she said though cop CP Rejitha had made a mistake, she was already punished. The report said the cop did not use any casteist remarks or a foul language and the only mistake she made was that she did not apologise to the father-daughter duo after realising her mistake.

Rejitha was given a transfer to Kollam rural limits for 15-days training as a punishment for publicly harassing Thonnakkal-native Jayachandran and his eight-year-old daughter. The two were subjected to ill-treatment by Rejitha before a big crowd near Attingal in August when they had gone to watch the movement of a large trailer carrying machine parts to VSSC in Thumba. 

Alleging that the two had stolen her mobile phone, the cop threatened them in public, which was shot by an onlooker and posted on social media. In the video, the girl was seen in tears as the cop threatened to move them to the police station for detailed questioning and physical check-up. Finally, the mobile phone was found in the car when a colleague of the cop rang up the number.

The episode had precipitated widespread criticisms against the police department and it was expected that strong action would be taken against the cop. The Special Branch in its report had made it clear that the woman cop was at fault, but this report was overlooked by the senior officers. 

Jayachandran had alleged that the transfer of Rejitha was a lenient punishment and strong departmental action should be taken against her. Jayachandran's wife had conducted a fasting protest in front of the Secretariat against the police inaction against the cop.

The SC-ST Commission and the Child Rights Commission had also intervened in the matter with the former suggesting that the erring cop should not be given duty where she has to wear a police uniform.

Meanwhile, Jayachandran reacted that the IG prepared the report without taking his or his daughter's statements and he will take legal measures to get the cop punished.