SRINAGAR: A Special Police Officer (SPO) was dismissed from service in Kathua district after allegedly demanding and accepting a Rs 100 bribe from a truck driver during checking at Lakhanpur, while departmental proceedings were ordered against three other policemen for alleged dereliction of duty, officials said on Monday.
Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma ordered the action following a recommendation from the district police headquarters after a video of the incident surfaced on social media.
According to officials, the video purportedly showed SPO Ameer-ud-Din demanding and accepting Rs 100 from a truck driver during checking at Lakhanpur on Sunday. The incident allegedly took place in the presence of three senior police personnel.
Lakhanpur is the entry point to Jammu and Kashmir from Punjab.
The police said the alleged conduct amounted to a serious breach of discipline and had affected the image of the department.
The SSP subsequently disengaged Ameer-ud-Din from service with immediate effect and declared the post vacant. He was also directed to immediately surrender his uniform, arms and ammunition, if issued, to the concerned police authorities, officials said.
A departmental inquiry has also been ordered against Assistant Sub-Inspector Gian Chand, Head Constable Dhruv Singh and Selection Grade Constable Shamsher Singh for alleged dereliction of duty and for failing to report the SPO’s alleged misconduct to their superior officers.
The inquiry has been assigned to the Superintendent of Police (Operations), Border and Kandi, Kathua, who has been directed to conduct the proceedings under the applicable provisions of the J&K Police Manual and submit the findings, along with specific recommendations, to the competent authorities at the earliest.
