Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday ‘hauled up’ a Pink Police official for her callous behaviour towards an eight-year-old girl and her father whom she accused of stealing her mobile phone and shamed publically.
The girl had approached the High Court seeking Rs 5 million as compensation for the ordeal she was made to undergo.
The Pink Police unit of the Kerala Police is an all women police official team that aims at protecting women in public, private, and digital spaces.
Taking up the petition, the court sought to know the action taken against the erring lady police official and asserted that this cannot be seen as a ‘small’ incident.
The court also directed a notice to be served to Rejitha and posted the case for November 29.
In her petition, the girl stated that despite several pleas, no action was taken against the woman police officer, hence they moved the court for justice.
She stated that following public shaming, she went into a state of shock and had to undergo counselling sessions. The episode continues to haunt her, her petition read.
The incident occurred on August 27, when 38-year-old Jayachandran and his daughter were out on the main road in the outskirts here near Attingal to watch the movement of a huge trailer carrying equipment to the ISRO unit.
Suddenly Rejitha, the woman officer finding her mobile missing, accused Jayachandran who was standing near the police patrol vehicle, of stealing it. She even said that he must have passed the mobile to his eight-year-old daughter, his accomplice.
She publicly humiliated the father and the daughter and threatened to take both of them to the nearby police station. This was witnessed by a large crowd.
Later, Rejitha found out the mobile phone in the vehicle. The entire episode was filmed by an onlooker.
He shared it on social media and it went viral.
On August 31, Jayachandran approached the state police chief Anil Kant seeking action against Rejitha, as his daughter was in a state of shock for being publicly admonished.
Promising action, Kant, asked South Zone IG Harshita Attaluri to conduct a probe and Rejitha was transferred.
However, it was found out that Rejitha was transferred to a more convenient location and there was actually no action taken against her.
Finding no further action in September, the family observed a day long sit-in in front of the Kerala Secretariat protesting inaction against the woman police officer attached to the pink patrol unit . When this also went unnoticed, the family decided to move the court.
(IANS)
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