THOOTHUKUDI: A head constable attached to Thattarmadam police station was asked to retire compulsorily over 'indiscipline'.
Superintendent of Police L Balaji Saravanan issued the order allegedly after the head constable, S Chelladurai (38), had recently posted a video appealing to Chief Minister MK Stalin to permit associations for policemen.
When Chelladurai was working at Seethaparnallur police station in 2022, he was questioned for not saluting a trainee sub inspector during a police bandobast at Vadakkur Gopalasamudram village in Tirunelveli.
Chelladurai, who joined the police service in 2009, was last working as a head constable at Thattarmadam police station near Sathankulam in Thoothukudi. In between, he was suspended in 2014 for allegedly assaulting a homeguard at Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital, and rejoined the service again in March, 2021, after a long gap of seven years.
During the period for which he was suspended, Chelladurai had pursued law and had completed it between 2016 and 2019. After his suspension, the Manur police had registered two FIRs against him following a family dispute in 2014. When he filed an RTI application demanding information related to sand theft cases in the Manur police limit, the then inspector had allegedly opened a history sheet, for just three FIRs, including two for family disputes pending against him.
Chelladurai was given the punishment of "compulsory retirement from the service" with effect from November 25, citing pending charges against him under section 3(b) of Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Service (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1955.
Chelladurai told TNIE the police inspectors were taking revenge against him for questioning the higher authority. "So I have chosen to practice law at Tirunelveli court. Had there been a sangam (association) for policemen, our grievances would have been dealt with," he added.