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SI’s suspension: anger spills over to streets

Staff Reporter

MALAPPURAM: The controversy over the suspension of the sub-inspector of Malappuram Police Station, M. Sasidharan, in the wake of a raid he conducted at a gambling club hall here has taken a new twist with the Home Ministry and the police higher-ups enquiring about the incident.

Officials of the Home Ministry and senior officers from the Police Headquarters have contacted the District Superintendent of Police, P. Vijayan, to ascertain the veracity of the incident that led to the arrest of an eight-member gambling gang, which included a retired sub-inspector, a lawyer and a revenue officer. Police sources said that the Home Department had begun a probe into the antecedents of the retired sub-inspector, whose petition to IG M.N. Krishna Murthy had led to the suspension of Mr. Sasidharan.

The SI’s suspension sparked anger among police officers, who alleged that the IG had not consulted any senior officer before suspending Mr. Sasidharan. The officers believe that the suspension was “an attack on the sincerity of a sub-inspector.”

People too have taken to the streets in protest against the suspension of Mr. Sasidharan. A march was taken out under the banner of the Indian National League. They warned of an agitation if the suspension was not revoked.

Mr. Sasidharan had picked up the eight-member gang from a club hall here on May 17 and confiscated Rs. 14,405. They were booked for gambling. But the retired sub-inspector, who had previously snubbed Mr. Sasidharan in a standoff over breaking the traffic rule, complained to the IG saying that Mr. Sasidharan had acted in revenge.

The IG suspended Mr. Sasidharan on Friday on the ground that his action lowered the dignity of the police force. An inquiry conducted by Special Branch DySP Manohara Kumar had found that the sub-inspector had been vindictive.

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