KOCHI: In response to a communication from Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), complaining of ticket-less travel on metro trains by State Industrial Security Force (SISF) personnel, the Kerala Police Association has approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking his intervention in the issue.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the association urged him to issue railway duty cards to the police personnel guarding the metro rail on the lines of the railway police to avoid confusion in the future. Demanding stern action against officials making ticket-less travel while not on duty, it also made it clear that the “baseless allegations” of free travel, levelled against police personnel indeed caused extensive damage to the entire police force in the State.
Maintaining that KMRL’s complaint had tarnished the image of the police, the association pointed out that the SISF personnel on duty at the metro had no option but to depend on metro trains to travel between stations as part of their duty.
“The metro rail authority should have checked facts before levelling allegations. They, however, chose to proceed with a baseless complaint and circulated it formally as well as on social media,” the letter read.
The issue pertains to a complaint by KMRL to P. Vijayan, Inspector General of Police (Kochi Range), mentioning ticket-less travel on metro trains by SISF personnel. It said they must purchase tickets for travelling on the metro.
The complaint, however, drew sharp reaction from senior police officers, who held that it was the duty of KMRL to issue travel passes to its security officials.
