ASI suspended for ill-treating complainant

Thiruvananthapuram: Grade

additional sub-inspector

Gopakumar, who was caught on camera

misbehaving

with a man and his daughter when they approached

Neyyar Dam

police with a complaint, has been

suspended

from service. The suspension order was issued by deputy inspector general (Thiruvananthapuram range) Kori Sanjay Kumar Gurudin after his recommendation of

disciplinary action

against GASI

Gopakumar

was approved by state police chief

Loknath Behera

.

In his order, DIG Gurudin stated that the response of GASI Gopakumar towards the complainant, Sudevan, and his daughter was rude and impolite and unbecoming of a member of a highly disciplined force.

Sudevan and his younger daughter had approached police on Thursday with regard to a complaint he had filed on Tuesday on the missing of his elder daughter. A heated argument broke out between Sudevan and GASI Gopakumar. On getting provoked, the GASI responded in a rude and impolite manner, which prompted Sudevan to record his actions and propagate through social media. Being a responsible police officer, Gopakumar’s actions were unjustifiable in any way, the DIG’s order said.

Sudevan’s petition was related to the missing of his elder daughter, who had in fact eloped with her lover. Police had closed the case when she appeared before the investigating officer and expressed her wish to go with her lover. Subsequently, Sudevan approached police again with another complaint against his daughter’s lover, which the sub-inspector of the station refused to entertain.

After the visuals of the GASI’s behaviour went viral on social media, DGP Loknath Behera had directed DIG Gurudin to conduct an inquiry. Gurudin submitted his inquiry report to the DGP on Saturday morning, in which he stated that the strident and rude behaviour of the officer has undoubtedly tarnished the image of the state police, which takes pride of being citizen friendly. GASI Gopakumar was in no way connected to the petition of Sudevan.

The DIG also found fault with the officer for wearing civil dress while on duty instead of uniform.