KOCHI: People of Kadathu Kadavu near Irumpanam were in for a surprise when they found flags of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) lying amidst a heap of dumped items on a marshy land on Tuesday morning.
After noticing that the dumped items were different materials like Life Jackets of ICG, they immediately alerted the police who reached the spot and registered a case in connection with the incident under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
A probe has been launched to ascertain how the ICG flag got dumped at the spot along with the other materials that belonged to ICG.
"We have registered a case for dishonouring the national flag. We are verifying certain details to ascertain who dumped the materials and the flag at the spot," said Hill Palace Inspector of Police V Gopakumar.
When contacted a defence spokesperson said they have launched a parallel probe into the incident.
"We don't know how the flag landed in the particular spot. There is a certain protocol to dispose of the national flag and the official flag. Defence wings strictly adhere to the protocol. We are coordinating with the local police team to get more details about it," the spokesperson said, adding that the ICG normally used to tender scrap materials to private parties and the other materials found at the site were reportedly scrap.