President Droupadi Murmu Suspends IPS Officer Accused Of Misbehavior At North Goa Beach Club

The accused officer, reportedly in an inebriated state, is said to have engaged in inappropriate behavior towards a woman tourist.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 17 August 2023 2:42 am

President Droupadi Murmu has suspended an IPS officer of the 2009-batch AGMUT cadre

In a decisive move, President Droupadi Murmu has suspended an IPS officer hailing from the 2009-batch of the AGMUT cadre. The action follows recent developments wherein the Goa Police, prompted by a report from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), alleged that the officer, identified as A Koan, engaged in inappropriate behavior towards a woman tourist at a renowned beach club in North Goa.

The incident, which unfolded during the late hours at the beach club, saw the accused officer allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the reported misbehavior, as indicated by the police investigation.

Amid mounting public outrage, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant sternly asserted last week in the Assembly that there would be no leniency in addressing this matter. "Strict action will be taken," he declared, underscoring the government's commitment to upholding safety and respect for all, as reported by Indian Express.

Interestingly, the beach club's ownership connection with a prominent politician in Goa has added a layer of intrigue to the incident. The club's proprietor, a close associate of the political leader, promptly shared CCTV footage of the alleged incident with the influential figure. Subsequently, the politician brought the matter to the attention of Goa's Director General of Police (DGP) Jaspal Singh, setting off a chain of events that led to the thorough police inquiry.

Details further revealed that the accused officer, Koan, was on medical leave at the time due to a spondylitis-related neck ailment. Despite his medical condition, he visited the beach-facing night club in the Baga area on a late Monday night, August 7th. It was around 4 am that the reported incident took place, during which the officer was accused of accosting the woman and making objectionable remarks. In response, the woman took matters into her own hands and slapped the officer.

A significant development in the investigation has been the presence of CCTV footage, a crucial piece of evidence that the police have cited in their comprehensive report. Acting promptly, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) forwarded the complete inquiry findings to President Murmu for immediate departmental action.