Thodupuzha: A policeman, who roamed around in the maternity ward of a private hospital, wearing a 'purdah', has been suspended.Idukki district police chief KB Venugopal has issued the suspension order against Noor Sameer who is a civil police officer at the Kulamavu police station.

The alleged incident happened around 8 pm on Friday. Women bystanders at the hospital had alerted the security personnel after they noticed a person in the long flowing garment wandering in the maternity ward. When he was identified as a man, Sameer reportedly ran out of the ward.

However, when the security personnel apprehended this Kummanamkallu native, he removed the purdah and left the place saying that he was a cop.

A case has been registered against Sameer for impersonation. He has been suspended following a report submitted by the special branch DySP. A departmental investigation too has been ordered against him.

Venugopal said that the police would investigate about the circumstances which made the male cop visit the maternity ward in disguise.

Sameer, along with two other policemen, Mujeeb Rahman and Suneesh Kumar, were arrested in 2017 January from Palakkad for pretending as members of the chief minister’s anti-gunda squad and taking bribe of Rs 96,000 from ganja dealers. The suspension of the trio was revoked recently.

The SP said that a detailed investigation would be conducted as Sameer has been suspended earlier as well.He added that the department would consider dismissal of the culprit as per the findings in the investigative report.