Leave denial, harassment: SHOs in Thrissur Rural Police lodge complaint with Officers’ Association

Thrissur (Kerala): Several Station House Officers (SHOs) in the Thrissur Rural Police have reported mental stress and harassment after being denied duty and weekly leave.

The report comes at a time when a Coastal Police Officer attempted suicide and a boat commander, who did not receive timely treatment, faced issues—both allegedly linked to leave problems.

The SHOs have filed a complaint with the Police Officers Association, alleging that the Rural Police Chief is preventing leave approvals, causing severe strain among officers.

It is a CPO at Vellikkulangara station who reportedly attempted suicide, citing mental harassment within the Rural Police.

The leave crisis arose after the Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) altered the existing leave sanctioning practice. Traditionally, leave was approved—CPOs by SIs, SIs by SHOs, and SHOs by DySPs. The issue started when the Rural SP gave an oral communication that no leave could be granted without direct permission, leaving SHOs in trouble. In effect, it appeared as an obstacle to granting leave.

The SP has also taken over the authority to grant leave to SHOs from DySPs, making leave approval a cumbersome process.

Officers reporting for duty from even distant locations say they have been unable to secure even a single day off to visit their native places after three weeks of duty.

The complaint describes multiple instances of mistreatment and unbearable acts by the SP, including being required to state the reason for leave in person, being made to wait for hours to meet, being insulted over leave reasons, and facing punitive action for perceived minor grievances