Thiruvananthapuram: More than a week after he was injured as a speeding motorcycle hit him while he was on duty, sub-inspector (grade) Shylendhra Prasad of Poonthura police returned to duty. But what awaited him was a suspension order. The order issued by city police commissioner K Sanjay Kumar Gurudin said that Shylendhra Prasad tarnished the good repute of the department by speaking to the media about the circumstances that led to his accident.It was on the night of March 19, Shylendhra Prasad was injured while engaged in vehicle inspection on road as part of the special drive Operation Bolt to curb criminal activities following back-to-back murders in the city. The incident was mired in controversies because the one who was riding the motor cycle happened to be a member of the youth wing of ruling party, CPM. Shylendhra Prasad claimed that the youth’s vehicle knocked him down in an attempt to flee from the police.But, the youth and his party claimed that the officer was knocked down by accident while the youth was trying to stop the vehicle. DYFI members even staged a protest in front of Poonthura police station demanding the release of the youth. In the end, the city police authorities chose to go by the version of the political party and let the youth go after booking him for offence under Motor Vehicles Act for causing accident. They booked some party workers for unlawful assembly and riot.Shylendhra Prasad went on leave to undergo a Panchakarma treatment and returned to duty on Friday, only to receive the suspension order. The suspension order also said that during riot, the protesters had raised various allegations against him. A preliminary inquiry conducted found merit in those allegations. Hence, district crime records bureau assistant commissioner has been assigned to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within seven days.The move by the commissioner hasn’t gone down well among a section of the cops . They claimed that lighter sections were invoked against the youth who caused the accident, altering the original statement of the Grade SI. During protests, property damages were reported. However, those booked were not charged for causing damages nor for obstructing duty of government officials. tnn

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