Civil police officer Umesh Vallikkunnu was suspended on Thursday for his alleged Facebook criticism against former District Police Chief (Kozhikode city) S. Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar, on hartal-related violence. The suspension order was issued by District Police Superintendent (Crime Branch), P.B. Rajeev, on the basis of a directive from Additional Director General of Police (Crime Branch), Sheik Dervesh Saheb.
It was on Friday last that Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch), Biju K. Stephen, who conducted an inquiry into the incident submitted his investigation report.
The report had found that the CPO had violated the social media code of conduct to be followed by police personnel. The report had also held the policeman accountable for defying the standing orders of the State Police Chief.
Crime Branch officials said Mr. Umesh made the controversial Facebook post on January 5 with an allegation that Mr. Mahesh Kumar was to blame for not preventing the hartal-related violence spearheaded by Sangh Parivar forces on S.M. Street.
According to him, the then District Police Chief was a failure in foreseeing the chances of clashes and ensuring better police deployment to offer protection to the merchants.
In his Facebook post, Mr. Umesh had also alleged that there were only two policemen at the Valiyangadi market where the traders had defied the hartal call and kept their shops open. He claimed that Mr. Mahesh Kumar had not discussed the measures to control hartal-related violence in advance with his immediate subordinates.
“A real police chief is someone who gives strength to his subordinates without treating them as slaves. We need to have better planning to meet the challenges of the hartal based on the situations. Adopting the conventional style for every occasion will never work out,” he had alleged in the social media post. The CPO also said that senior officers should change their mindset of considering subordinates as fools.
The police conducted an immediate inquiry into the incident as the social media criticism was widely shared by various users as a proof to expose the alleged failure by the police to control the hartal-related vandalism. Mr. Mahesh Kumar, who was later transferred to the police headquarters, had denied the allegation and hinted that he would initiate appropriate legal action against the CPO.