It is learnt that 16 days after the Police Inspector of Mandrem Police Station was transferred after the attack on ex-Mandrem sarpanch, the police officer was reinstated. Incidentally this is reportedly the third police officer in recent times who has been transferred whenever there is hue and cry about a particular criminal case and quietly brought back. As a matter of fact transfer of any government staff is carried out whenever there is a case made against the government servant. The question that arises is whether a transfer order should be considered as a punishment. In some minor cases it could be a sort of punishment by transferring the government staff to some remote area. However the proper punishment should be by way of suspension or even termination of service depending on the severity of the crime committed. At times a transfer order is passed in order to carry out a free and fair probe on the irregularity committed. Making police personnel a pawn in a larger political game can affect the morale of the police force and send a wrong signal.
