In a bizarre incident, Thrissur Mayor VK Varghese has filed a complaint with the Kerala police chief saying police officials in the state disrespected him often by not offering the customary salute when he passes through the city in his official vehicle.
According to the reports, rebel Congress leader MK Varghese, who joined hands with the LDF to become Thrissur Mayor in December last year, has sent an official complaint to the state police chief alleging that Kerala police officers have not shown any respect to him or give him the customary salute despite him being a mayor.
In his letter, the Thrissur Mayor claimed that according to the state protocol, the mayor of the corporation is in the third position after the Governor and the Chief Minister and Mayor is considered the first citizen of the corporation he or she governs, he said.
Urging the Kerala DGP to look into the matter and do the needful, Varghese said that he was elected as the mayor of Thrissur Corporation only a few months back and added that he had been noticing this attitude of police officers for a long time now.
“They salute the ministers and even MLAs but not the mayor, who is actually above the other categories as per the protocol. Hence, I wrote to the police chief so that there would be a clarification on the matter,” said Varghese.
“When we go out in the field meeting people and ensuring that their needs are addressed, some police officers disrespect us by showing their back to us,” he added.
Meanwhile, the police officers have contended that they give salutes to people as per the standing order of the department and not protocol. The state police chief has directed Thrissur range DIG to inquire into the complaint and take necessary action.