Kerala police SI suspended for being drunk on duty

Kerala police on Thursday suspended a sub-inspector for being drunk on duty a day after he allegedly assaulted the owner of a bakery here and some of his helpers with a stick.

The incident was reported within Nedumbassery police station limits under the Ernakulam Rural police.

Police also lodged an FIR against the Grade SI — Sunil PS — for allegedly assaulting members of the public while on duty and launched an investigation.

The Grade SI was booked for the offence under section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means.) of the IPC which is non-bailable.

Ernakulam Rural SP Vivek Kumar IPS said the action of suspending the officer was taken even before launching a probe into the alleged assault in view of the medical examination revealing that he was ”drunk on duty.” The Rural SP also said a departmental enquiry and appropriate action would be taken against the driver of the jeep in which the SI was travelling and the Civil Police Officer (CPO) accompanying him for failing to inform seniors that the sub-inspector was drunk.

”His (SI’s) medical examination indicated that he was under the influence of alcohol. So the departmental action was taken for the reason that he was drunk on duty,” the officer told a news channel.

The sub-inspector had allegedly assaulted the bakery owner and his wife in front of their minor daughter, according to eyewitness accounts of the incident.

The bakery owner told a TV channel that the SI beat him up for no reason whatsoever.

Local residents came to their aid and restrained the officer, before calling the police, he said.

The officer was, thereafter, taken for medical examination, police said.