Should a minister suspend constable for protecting his wife from eve teaser?

Police constable Prakash was taking his wife on his bike when Kumar – said to be working in a factory run by district in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj – teased her. He did not stop his antics there. Instead, he followed the couple on his bike and allegedly tried to touch Prakash's wife Jyothi inappropriately. Furious over this, Prakash thrashed Kumar.

Since minister Madhwaraj was busy campaigning for bypolls, his wife allegedly summoned constable Prakash to her house and asked him to take Kumar to the hospital. Despite explaining himself, the minister’s wife allegedly did not budge, and Prakash took his wife’s eve-teaser to the hospital.

It did not end there. Next day, the constable was suspended from his duty.

Upset over the developments, his wife has been running from pillar to post to seek justice to her husband. She has even lodged a complaint with the women's police station.

Meanwhile, the minister told reporters that if Kumar had misbehaved, Prakash could have taken him to the station and act according to the law. Instead, he thrashed Kumar leaving him with a broken spinal cord. "This is a serious issue. Hence, I asked his seniors to suspend him," the minister defended his action.

Agreed, but wasn't the constable discharging his duties, Mr Minister? Was it necessary for the minister to punish a constable to save his eve-teasing employee?

Constable Prakash has outrightly denied minister's claims that Kumar has a broken rib. "I did not assault him to leave him in such a condition. In fact, he rode back from the police station. One cannot even stand if his spinal cord is damaged," wondered Prakash.  

• constable suspended
• fisheries minister pramod madhwaraj