Malappuram: A Kerala fisherman, who was praised by all for his selfless rescue works during the 2018 floods, has been booked by police here on allegations of moral policing.
K P Jaisal of Malappuram had won several hearts on social media after he crouched on a flooded road to enable three stranded women to step on his back and get into a NDRF inflatable boat during the August 2018 floods.
An FIR has been filed against Jaisal and another person at Tanur police station in an alleged moral policing incident on April 15. Circle Inspector Jeevan George said the incident took place at Thooval Theeram beach.
The accused took the photo of a man with a woman and blackmailed the duo and allegedly threatened to post the picture on social media if he was not paid Rs 1 lakh. The man immediately transferred Rs 5000 through his mobile wallet and promised to pay the remaining amount later.
However, the aggrieved person approached police and filed a complaint.
Jaisal and his accomplice are absconding, police said.
Jaisal had won praise as he kneeled down in waist deep water to rescue the women, including one with an infant, so that they could easily get into the National Disaster Response Force boat in Vengara's Muthalamada area.
Kerala was ravaged by the worst floods in a century in August 2018 due to unusually high rainfallduring the South West Monsoon which claimed at least 483 lives and displaced at least 14.50 lakh people who had to be shifted to relief camps.
Scores of fishermen had emerged as the unsung heroes who stepped in to help stranded people.
In 2019 also, the state was hit by floods in which over 100 people had lost their lives.
(With inputs from PTI)