IPS officer likely to be shifted from his dept

Hyderabad, Sept 22: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today took a serious note of the complaint by journalists and political leaders on senior IPS officer and Controller of the Weights and Measures Department R P Meena.

The officer had allegedly assaulted a press photographer and damaged his camera when the latter tried to take a photograph of employees staging a dharna, protesting the alleged misbehaviour of another officer with women.

The sources said, the officer was likely to be shifted from the department or might be asked to go on leave till the city police commissioner, who was directed to enquire into the incident, completed the enquiry and submitted his report.

Police have registered a case against Mr Meena, based on a complaint filed by the photographer.

Weights and Measures employees, who have been demanding action against another officer Vimal Kumar, alleging that the officer was harassing women employees, staged a dharna yesterday.

Mr Meena, who came to the office while the photographer was taking photographs, was alleged to have abused and assaulted him, while damaging his camera.

Several political leaders and trade unionists yesterday met Home Minister K Jana Reddy and Dr Y S Rajashekhar Reddy, demanding action against the IPS officer.

Leaders of Joint Action Committee(JAC) said the departmental employees would not work, as long as the officer continued in office. They also demanded his suspension.

To defuse situation and pacify both the angry employees and the journalists, the Officer was likely to be shifted from the department, the sources added.

Soon after the matter was brought to his notice, the Chief Minister called Mr Meena and was believed to have reprimanded him.

UNI