Mayurbhanj: A senior woman police officer has been suspended for allegedly making a pregnant woman walk for 3 kilometres. The woman was found not wearing a helmet while riding on the pillion seat of a bike with her husband.
Taking note of the issue, Mayurbhanj Superintendent of Police (SP) Smit P. Parmar suspended the Officer-in-charge (OIC) of Sarat Police Station, Reena Baxala, for gross misconduct and dereliction of duty.
In the meanwhile, Sub-inspector Sanjay Pradhan, OIC of Kaptipada PS, will take the additional charge of Sarat PS, ordered Mayurbhanj SP.
According to reports, one Bikram Biruli of Matkami Sahi under Sarat police limits was en route to a hospital in Udala on his motorcycle for a regular health check-up of his wife Gurubari Biruli, who is eight months pregnant. However, OIC Baxala intercepted him during patrolling and imposed a fine as his wife who was riding pillion on the bike, was not wearing a helmet.
Bikram asked the police officer to allow him to pay the fine online as he was out of cash, but OIC Baxala forced him to pay the fine then and there. When Bikram expressed inability to pay the amount, the patrolling team took him to the police station. Even though his wife Gurubari pleaded to come along with his husband, the OIC refused and left her stranded on the road.
Bikram was detained in the police station for a couple of hours. When he did not return, Gurubari had to walk under the scorching sun to reach the police station which was about three kilometres to get her husband released.
Later in the day, Bikram and his wife approached the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) and filed a written complaint in connection with the incident. Following the complaint, Mayurbhanj SP suspended accused OIC Reena Baxala.
