T’puram: Three police personnel attached to Aruvikkara police station have been suspended for allegedly leaving duty during an Onam celebration at the station and behaving in an indisciplined manner. The suspended personnel are CPOs Achu Shankar, Prashanth and Anil Kumar.The action was taken by Thiruvananthapuram rural SP Prashanth Kaney following a surprise visit to the station while Onam celebrations were under way on Friday.Sources said the personnel were suspected to have consumed alcohol while on duty. Two of them allegedly behaved abnormally when questioned by the SP and denied having consumed alcohol. During the questioning, officer Shankar, who was in charge of GD duty during the Onam celebration, allegedly attempted to leave the station.Kaney subsequently found that the personnel had remained away from duty as part of the celebrations and that there had been serious lapses in discipline. The officers were not subjected to a medical examination as no specific criminal case had been registered against them, sources said.The suspension order cited dereliction of duty as the official reason for the action. Police personnel are required to remain alert and ensure public safety while on duty, officials said.A departmental inquiry is under way to examine the circumstances leading to the incident and determine whether further disciplinary action is warranted. Kaney is also examining the conduct of the personnel during the station’s Onam celebrations.
