Two days after the Peroorkada Sub Inspector of Police, Prasad S G, was placed under suspension for alleged custodial harassment of a Dalit woman at the police station, Grade ASI Prasanna Kumar also faced disciplinary action.

Thiruvananthapuram city police commissioner Thomson Jose suspended Kumar on dereliction of duty while being in charge of the General Diary (GD) entry. The probe report by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Cantonment, also showed Kumar crossed his limits and unnecessarily spoke to Bindu, the woman who filed a complaint against the Peroorkada police. The cops who were being questioned in connection with the harassment case reportedly told the investigators that Bindu admitted to theft during the initial stage of questioning, and that's why she was treated as a suspect.

"According to the cops on duty that day, she admitted to theft, maybe she was scared. Then the police considered her a suspect and took her to her house for evidence collection. There was no physical torture; however, questioning bordered on mental harassment since cops acted on the statement that she had committed the theft. We are also examining the CCTV footage from the police station," said Thomson Jose.

As per the proceedings issued by the City police commissioner, Kumar failed to comply with procedural guidelines and ensure proper entries in the GD on the day Bindu was detained at the station. The officer's conduct was unprofessional and beyond the scope of his duty, the probe report showed.

Bindu made serious allegations against Kumar and said he treated her inhumanely and spoke to her rudely. Bindu from Nedumangadu had alleged that she was falsely accused of theft of 2.5 sovereigns of gold in a house where she was employed as a maid and was taken into custody in April 23.

According to Bindu, she was detained at the station for 20 hours and forced to confess to theft. In the complaint, she said she was even denied drinking water. She was threatened that if she didn't confess to theft, her two daughters would be implicated in the crime. Bindu filed a complaint with the office of the Chief Minister and the state police chief.