Armed Reserve police constable’s death stirs leave row

The message, accusing a sub inspector of police attached to the Madras High Court security wing of insulting the woman and blocking her leave, is now being circulated among media and the groups of Armed Reserve constables. Meanwhile, senior police officials allege that the Armed Reserve constables have been using the death of the woman to blackmail senior officials and to avail of leave during summer. 

“A group of police personnel are purposefully doing this, thinking that they could blackmail seniors and get leave. Since, the circulation of this message, there were 20 medical leave applications at the assistant commissioner’s office on Tuesday,” Deputy Commissioner, Armed Reserve, Sounderrajan, told DTNext. 

He said as per the AR rules only 10 per cent of the force should be allowed to go on leave at a time. “But now more than 20 per cent are on leave on any given day. We have been considerate in providing leave. But we cannot let everyone go on leave together,” he added. 

It may be recalled that Seetha (25), wife of Thavamani, died on Monday after being hospitalised for 11 days. Her colleagues are said to be behind the WhatsApp message. Seetha got admitted to hospital after being marked absent for work on April 21 after she fell sick, sources said. 

However, her husband Thavamani, who works in Fire and Rescue services, Avadi, told DTNext, “I admitted her to the Sundaram Medical Foundation. When I informed her condition to her superiors they asked me to go ahead.”