Thiruvananthapuram:  The state government has ordered to recover the compensation amount of Rs 1,75,000 from the pink police officer who humiliated an eight-year-old girl at Attingal here last year. As per an order issued by the Home Department, Rs 1,50,000 and another Rs 25,000 towards court expenditure would be recovered from the erring cop, Rajitha.

The Kerala High Court had directed to pay compensation to the girl, and to remove the cop from law and order duties. But the government was of the view that it was not liable to pay compensation for the lapses made on the part of the pink police officer. Challenging the order of the single bench, the government then filed an appeal with the division bench of the HC. The government later stated in court that the compensation would be paid but sought permission to recover the amount from the cop.

As per the case, the pink police officer had harassed and publicly humiliated the Class 3 student and her father by alleging that the girl had stolen a mobile phone from the bag kept inside the pink police jeep. The woman cop also threatened that the father and daughter would be taken to the police station and frisked.  However, the cop’s mobile phone was later found in the bag. The incident happened in August 2021.

The girl's father then filed a petition against the cop. The High Court then ordered the government to pay the compensation to the girl and sought action against the cop, Rajitha.