Thodupuzha: A senior civil police officer was suspended pending an inquiry after being accused of stealing a bicycle kept as evidence at the DySP office compound here. The officer, K Jayamon, attached to the Kanjiyar police station, was on deputation at Thodupuzha when the incident took place.

The bicycle had been seized in a previous theft case and was stored in the compound awaiting completion of formalities before being returned to its rightful owner. However, when the owner arrived to take a photograph of the bicycle for court submission, it was found missing.

Subsequent examination of CCTV footage allegedly showed Jayamon loading the bicycle into an autorickshaw and taking it away. Despite this, no case has been registered, with police stating that no formal complaint had been received.

The incident triggered public outrage, amplified by a protest by Youth Congress activists. In response, District Police Chief T K Vishnu Pradeep suspended Jayamon on Tuesday evening.

Interestingly, the bicycle reportedly reappeared at the station compound nearly a week after the CCTV footage surfaced. Locals allege that senior officials attempted to hush up the incident and are demanding that a theft case be formally registered against the officer.