Kerala constable sent to traffic duty for failing to recognise newly posted DCP

Discontentment is rife within the ranks of police officials in Kerala’s Kochi following an alleged incident of high handedness by city City Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Aishwarya IPS. The incident involves Aishwarya sending a constable who didn’t recognise her, on traffic duty as a punitive measure. 

A woman police constable who was posted on sentry duty at the women’s police station near the Town North station had apparently failed to recognise Aishwarya who was in plainclothes as she was making her way into the station.  The young IPS officer who had taken charge in Kochi only on January 1 was visiting the station as part of her inspection drive on Sunday. Reports state that Aishwarya parked her official vehicle a little away from the station and was stopped by the woman at the police station entry point and was asked about the purpose of her visit. For failing to recognise her, the woman on sentry duty was sent for two-days punishment duty in the traffic department. 

Aishwarya told the media that the woman on duty at the police station entry was found to be lacking adequate alertness on the occasion of a senior police officer visiting the police station. The IPS officer said, “She was on sentry duty. She is supposed to be most alert. But despite the official vehicle I came in, she failed to recognise and stopped me,” Aishwarya told the media.

However, the Kerala Police Association has not taken the matter the same way and opined that this was too harsh a decision. They said given that Aishwarya was new to her role and had a mask on, it was difficult for the constable to identify her. Moreover, there are protocols that people entering police stations have to be limited. The association has suggested that the constable could have been let off with a warning given the IPS officer was wearing a mask.

Aishwarya was made the new DCP of Kochi only on January 1. She was earlier the Assistant Commissioner of Shangumugham in Thiruvananthapuram.

NV Nishad, Ernakulam District Secretary of Kerala Police Association, told TNM, "Usually it's the rule that a junior officer should identify their senior officials even if they are on mufti. But since it is  the COVID-19 situation, the senior officer was wearing a mask. Sometimes we don't even recognise people whom we meet daily. This officer had joined a week ago and the civil police officer did not recognise her. Since its COVID-19 all are not allowed to visit inside police stations. That is why she blocked the senior officer without recognising.”

He added,  “It wasn't right to give punishment.  The senior officer could have considered the situation too and she was wearing a mask also. On Wednesday, the intelligence department gave a report to the government on this. We will also meet DCP and Commissioner tomorrow and will express our dissent in the issue.”