The onset of summer seems to have increased the workload of police officers at the rural headquarters.
With instances of unauthorised water pumping from the Periyar on the rise, the police in Aluva station are keeping a close tab over the water tanker-filling stations operating on the banks of the river.
Last week, the police organised a surprise raid to these units and found at least two illegal units sourcing water from borewells located about a few metres from the river bank.
The sleuths also arrested two persons in connection with the findings.
Meanwhile, the police are also looking into complaints about a few plants on the outskirts drawing water directly from the waterbody using pipes.
“The stations are operated by laying suction hoses into the small wells constructed near the border of the river. On further checking, one can see that these hoses have been actually laid to the river through a hole in the wall of the well,” officials said.
The water sourced from the river is filled into the water tankers without quality checks and is distributed to various parts of the city.
Allegation against cops
Though they are deemed to be the custodians of law, allegations of policemen taking the law into their hands are not too uncommon.
Recently, P.C. Joseph, a native of Kizhakkambalam, approached the State Human Rights Commission with a complaint that he was being framed by the police in a false case.
As per the complaint, a five-member police team apprehended him on February 4 at Market Road, purportedly for verifying his criminal antecedents and imposed false charges on him. The complainant also alleged that he was taken to Thaliparamba after being referred to a case filed at the Thaliparamba police station 12 years ago. Later, he was produced before the court, and released on bail.
Several newspapers reported the incident, stating that he was accused in many theft cases. The incident resulted in the complainant losing his job.
The police, meanwhile, have said that the allegations are baseless.
Hiran Unnikrishnan
