Constable suspended over alleged misbehaviour with woman medico during protest

A police constable was suspended on Thursday, a day after he was accused of "inappropriately touching" a woman medico during a protest by medical students of Dr BRKR Government Ayurvedic College here.

State Home Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali spoke to the DCP of South Zone, Hyderabad Police, and instructed that a thorough inquiry be conducted into the incident and necessary action be taken, an official release said on Thursday night.

The state home minister also directed that female police personnel be deployed for handling girl students or women in such situations to avoid such complaints, it said.

For the past few days, the students of the college have been opposing the Telangana government's proposal to shift the government ayurvedic hospital from the premises of the Government Unani Hospital at Charminar to the Ayurvedic Hospital in Erragadda here to "carry out renovation works".

On Tuesday, the in-patient ward of the Government Ayurvedic Hospital was "vandalised" and the staff, doctors and patients were asked to vacate the premises allegedly by some Unani students, following which a complaint was filed with the police.

When AYUSH incharge director reached the place to enquire into the matter on Wednesday, some protesting students from the Dr BRKR Government Ayurvedic College raised slogans and gheraoed the director's car by squatting on the road. She was shifted after police intervention.

Women police personnel started evicting the protesting women medicos and putting them in police vans. A video and some photos went viral on social media showing some policemen "pushing" the protesting women.

In the video, a policeman in mufti (police constable in plainclothes) is also purportedly seen "touching the shoulder" of one woman.

Following allegations by students of alleged highhandedness and manhandling by the police, the Hyderabad Police on Wednesday said the video would be verified.

On Thursday, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar placed Constable K Parmesh, who is attached to Charminar police station, under suspension and also ordered an inquiry in the incident, the police said.