Kerala ADGP shunted out after daughter ‘assaults’ police driver

Days after a police driver accused the daughter of an additional director general of police (ADGP) in Kerala of assaulting him, the senior police officer was shunted out and was not given a new posting.

ADGP Sudesh Kumar’s removal as head of the Special Armed Police (SAP) battalion came after a number of junior colleagues of the officer complained of ill-treatment by his family.

S Ananthakrishnan, another senior IPS officer, has been appointed as the new chief of the SAP.

Kumar landed in trouble after his police driver M Gavaskar filed a complaint alleging that his daughter attacked him with a mobile when he refused to hand over the keys of the official vehicle.

Gavaskar had to be admitted to a hospital with injuries on the face and neck.

Following the driver’s complaint, many subordinates came forward and narrated ill-treatment meted out by the family members of the senior officer.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had termed this incident serious and sought a report from the state police chief Loknath Behra.

Kumar was not immediately available for comments.

The driver said the incident occurred when he went to pick up the official’s daughter from a morning walk. He said she verbally abused him because he had arrived slightly late, and demanded that he hand over the vehicle keys. When he refused, she took out her mobile phone and hit him on his neck and shoulder.

The officer’s daughter also filed a counter-complaint that the driver had outraged her modesty and abused her. Following this, the driver was booked for a non-bailable offence while minor charges were framed against her.

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