Facing flak over rise in the recent news reports on various police atrocities matters from across the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday said stern action will be taken against those officers who tarnish the reputation of the police force.
Vijayan said Kerala has a reputation of having one of the best-managed police forces in the country.
Recently, a few incidents of police atrocities have been reported from various corners of the state resulting in strong criticism against the police force.
“Kerala has the best policing in the country and this achievement was due to the LDF government’s popular policing policy. This government will not allow such isolated incidents to tarnish the image of the police force in the state,” Vijayan said in a Facebook post.
He said there was a huge decline of criminal cases in the state during the last six years and due to the willpower of the government, Kerala has become a state which properly maintains law and order.
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“Kerala Police ranks first in the country in terms of crime investigation excellence. It is also far ahead in terms of efficiency. The police was able to uphold secularism and intervene whenever there were attempts of communal polarisation,” he said.
Vijayan, who is also the home minister, said even with a long list of achievements, some incidents have tarnished the image of the police force.
“It’s a serious matter that such isolated incidents tarnish the image of the police. We will not show any mercy towards such officers. Flawless investigation will be conducted and those found guilty will not have a place in the force,” Vijayan said.
He said the government will take stern action against those officers who degrade the police force which has got a good track record.
Vijayan, however, said labelling the whole force based on isolated incidents cannot be accepted.
A recent incident of two brothers, one of them a soldier in the army, being allegedly brutally beaten up in police custody in Kerala and falsely accused in a drug case has kicked up a storm in the state with severe criticism being levelled against the police and the ruling CPI(M) from all corners.
As the Congress-led UDF opposition and the ruling Left front partner CPI deprecated the conduct of the police personnel who allegedly beat up the brothers, the officers concerned were suspended with immediate effect for dereliction of duty and tarnishing the image of the force.
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Reacting to news of the custodial violence, the Congress party had alleged that the police stations in the state were akin to “concentration camps” and in a much worse situation than what existed during the British rule.
IG south zone P Prakash had issued the suspension order in which it has been stated that the four police personnel’s conduct tarnished the image of the entire force and the news appeared in various TV channels.
The State Human Rights Commission also intervened in the matter and on its own registered a case in connection with the custodial violence based on news reports about the incident.