Senior IPS officer D Mahesh Kumar, who was serving as the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Chennai, has been suspended following allegations of sexual harassment. The suspension was issued by the Tamil Nadu Home Department after an internal investigation.
According to sources, a woman traffic police constable accused Mahesh Kumar of harassment while working under him. The complaint was filed with the Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police Force, Shankar Jiwa. Subsequently, the case was forwarded to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for sexual harassment cases.
Further investigations revealed that another woman police constable had also lodged a similar complaint against Mahesh Kumar. Based on the findings of the preliminary inquiry by the ICC, the state government decided to place him under suspension.
Mahesh Kumar previously held the position of Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic (South Chennai) until December 2024. Following a transfer, he was reassigned as Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic (North Chennai) before facing these allegations.
The police department has assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted to ensure justice for the complainants.
Other cases of Sexual Harassment
Earlier this week three teachers at a state-run school were arrested for the alleged sexual assault of 13-year-old student and, in December a woman student from Chennai’s Anna University was sexually assaulted on campus. And, in another recent (and horrific) case, an 18-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted, just outside Chennai, while in a moving auto-rickshaw.
