Dy SP suspended for molesting woman held in prostituion case, collecting bribe in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A deputy SP-rank officer has been suspended in Kerala days after allegations surfaced that he sexually assaulted a woman who had been taken into custody for prostitution, following the recent suicide of a police officer.
A Umesh, serving as the deputy SP of Vatakara, Kozhikode rural, was placed under suspension with immediate effect by the home department on the recommendation of the state police chief based on an inquiry.
An internal inquiry report found that, while serving as the inspector of police at the Vadakkenchery station in Palakkad, the officer had misused his official position by sexually exploiting the woman and collecting bribes from persons associated with the immoral activity.
The incident came to light after the suicide note of Cherpulassery Station House Officer Binu Thomas, who was found dead on November 15, was recovered by the police.
According to a government order shared by the CMO on Sunday, a special report forwarded by the state police chief stated that the "indisciplined, immoral and illegal activities" on the part of the officer had tarnished the image of the entire police force.
The government examined the report in detail, which prima facie revealed grave misconduct, indiscipline, abuse of power, and immoral and illegal activities by the deputy SP, it said.
"In the circumstances, Umesh A, deputy SP, is suspended from service with immediate effect pending disciplinary action," the order said.
The order also asked the state police chief to submit a panel of competent officers to be appointed as the inquiry officer to conduct an oral inquiry.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
