An inspector has been suspended following the release of CCTV footage that shows him slapping and pushing a pregnant woman inside the Ernakulam North police station. The incident occurred on June 18, 2024, as reported by the news agency PTI. 

The accused, identified as Prathap Chandran, was  working as the Station House Officer (SHO) of Aroor police station in Alappuzha. Subsequently, the SHO was suspended on Thursday, December 18, after the CCTV footage of the incident surfaced. The CCTV footage emerged after a legal battle of nearly one year, during which the couple approached the court seeking action.

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What Does The Visual Show?

The visuals show the police officer allegedly pushing the woman and slapping her inside the police station. The woman, identified as Shymol NJ, said, “I had gone to the police station after my husband was taken into custody.” Meanwhile, her husband said that he repeatedly pleaded with the police officer and even informed him that his wife was pregnant. However, all his pleas fell on the deaf ears of the police officer. 

The officer was suspended immediately after the CCTV footage surfaced, providing clear evidence of his actions. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also ordered the Director General of Police (DGP) to take stringent and immediate action against the police officer. However, the chief minister’s intervention came only after the 33-second CCTV clip went viral on social media.

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UDF Slams Ruling Government

The incident has also sparked a major political controversy in the state, with the Congress government slamming Vijayan’s government for inaction for over a year. The leader of the Opposition in Kerala, VD Satheeshan, lamented, noting a shocking instance of police brutality.

“Another shocking instance of #PoliceBrutality in Kerala. A pregnant woman, carrying her infant, was assaulted at Ernakulam North Police Station. CCTV footage emerged only after a year-long legal battle. Is this the much-touted promise of women’s safety?" the Congress leader further wrote on his social media X (formerly Twitter) handle. 

(With inputs from PTI)


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