Tamil Nadu police department has suspended two of its officers based on reports that they had enrolled themselves as BJP members while being on bandobast duty for state BJP president K Annamalai’s En Mann En Makkal rally.
According to the police, the officials – sub-inspector K Rajendran and special sub-inspector A Karthikeyan – had enrolled themselves into BJP virtually at one of the stalls set up during Annamalai’s yatra in Nagapattinam district on December 27.
Both the officers attached to the Velipalayam police station in the district got the membership by giving a missed call to a phone number, the police said.
The video of the incident has since gone viral with netizens urging the authorities to take action against the officials.
Nagapattinam Superintendent of Police Harsh Singh told the indianexpress.com that as soon as the incident came to his notice, the officials who were found to have violated the Tamil Nadu Subordinate Police Officers Conduct Rules during inquiry were transferred to the Armed Reserve within 36 hours,
Further, Singh ordered a departmental inquiry by the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Following the inquiry, based on the recommendation of SP Singh, T Jayachandran, Thanjavur Range Deputy Inspector General of Police placed both the officials under suspension.
Meanwhile, Annamalai issued a statement on Wednesday claiming that the officers did not enroll themselves but were just conducting inquiry with the representatives of the stall over what was happening.
நேற்றைய மாலை #EnMannEnMakkal பயணம், சோழர் கால கடற்கரை தலைநகரமாக விளங்கிய நாகப்பட்டினம் மண்ணில் நடந்தது. விஜயாலய சோழன் முதல் மூன்றாம் ராஜேந்திர சோழன் வரை ஏறக்குறைய 400 ஆண்டு காலம் உயர்புகழில் இருந்தது நாகை துறைமுகம். தென்கிழக்காசியாவை சோழர்கள் கடல் மார்க்கமாக வெல்வதற்கு மிக… pic.twitter.com/ibbhsec1gL
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 28, 2023
“It is a common practice for police officers to conduct inquiries in crowded public spaces. It is saddening to see both the officials being suspended without having conducted any inquiry. This will not only affect them, but also their families,” Annamalai said, adding such action will discourage youngsters from aspiring to join the police force.