Kasaragod: The Kerala Police’s penchant for making reels of traffic violators has landed a civil police officer in trouble. Kasaragod District Police Chief B V Vijay Bharath Reddy suspended K Sajesh, a civil police officer attached to the Kasaragod Armed Reserve Camp, for posting an Instagram reel mocking a 15-year-old schoolboy who was caught riding a low-speed electric scooter without a helmet.

Sajesh's short video of police confronting the boy without a helmet at Puthiyakotta in Kanhangad violated the recent circular of State Police Chief B V Vijay Bharat Reddy, which asked officers not to post reels in uniform and maintain digital discipline, said Hosdurg Station House Officer - Inspector Ajith Kumar P. "On top of it, he put a football commentary over the video," said the inspector.

Sajesh, a civil police officer attached to the Kasaragod Armed Reserve Camp, was on traffic duty with the Hosdurg Sub-Inspector last day when the 15-year-old boy on an electric scooter was stopped for riding without a helmet. The electric scooter with 250W and a maximum speed of 25kmph does not require to be registered or a licence to drive it. Though the boy argued that a helmet wasn't legally required for riding a low-speed electric scooter, the sub-inspector asked him to wear one before entering the main road for his own safety, said Inspector Ajith Kumar.

Many schoolchildren ride low-speed electric scooters on main roads without helmets, posing a danger to themselves. "Serious injuries can happen when another vehicle hits them, too. Twenty-five is a reasonably good speed. So, the SI was right in insisting on the helmet," he said.

Reel backlash
However, the boy also alleged that the Sub-Inspector scolded him, calling his vehicle a "junk box" and allegedly threatening to set it on fire. "I can buy only what I can afford," the boy said.

"The SI first asked me to buy a helmet. I bought one and when I returned, I was made to sit in a corner for three hours. Later, the SI let me go," the boy said.

But when he got home and was having tea, his phone started buzzing. "People started calling me after seeing the reel. In five minutes, 11,000 people have seen it. Don’t I have to go to school tomorrow? Don’t I have to go out?”

The boy said he came to the Police Station and pleaded with Sajesh to delete the video, but the request was ignored. Eventually, he returned with his father and filed a complaint with the Kasaragod District Police against the officer.

The suspension came just days after Kerala's new Director General of Police, Ravada Chandrasekhar, issued his first official circular warning officers to observe "digital discipline". The circular, issued in the wake of videos made by police personnel in uniform -- particularly from the Women’s Battalion -- had banned non-official reels and personal content involving uniformed officers, said Inspector Ajith Kumar.

"Reels can be made to educate people on cyber crimes or road rules. But this officer made a joke out of it by overlaying football commentary on a minor being stopped." The suspension was not because the SI insisted on the helmet, he said.

Blurry rules, real risks
Low-speed electric scooters -- often called "green scooters" -- are legally exempt from licence and registration if they do not exceed 25 km/h or have more than 250W motor power. However, Kanhangad MLA E Chandrasekharan recently flagged their increasing use among schoolchildren in a submission to the Kerala Assembly, warning of growing safety risks.

"Technically, a licence isn't required for these scooters. But practically, when they enter the highways and main roads, they are as vulnerable as pedestrians or cyclists. Even cyclists wear helmets," said the Hosdurg station house officer.