Pinarayi pulls up Kannur SP over public shaming of lockdown violators

Kannur: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan came down heavily on the Kannur Superintendent of Police Yatish Chandra for humiliating people who were found on road violating the national lockdown.

The police officer, who was in news for wrong reasons earlier as well, was seen ordering three local residents to do sit-ups.

The video in which three men were doing sit-ups went viral in social media and the state police chief Lokanath Behera sought explanation from Yatish Chandra for publicly shaming people by resorting to such punishment measures.

While talking to media persons at Thiruvananthapuram after the review meeting on Covid-19, the chief minister condemned the officer’s action and observed that such steps will ruin the reputation of the police force, who otherwise render commendable service during the lockdown period.

The chief minister sought a report from the DGP and Home Secretary on the incident.

The State Human Rights Commission has registered a suo motu case against the Kannur SP and asked the state police chief to conduct an inquiry into the incident.

Meanwhile, several instances have been reported from across the state in which police officers brutally beat or harass people, including those who stepped out to buy grocery and medicines.