Fire & rescue training for Popular Front: 2 suspended, 3 transferred

Thiruvananthapuram: Regarding the incident of state Fire Force officials giving training to Popular Front of India (PFI) activists, two officers of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services got suspended, and the other three got transferred to the state, The Indian Express reported.

The suspended officials are Ernakulam regional fire and rescue officer KK Shaiju and district fire officer AS Joji, the two who gave the sanction for the training programme. Three firemen of Aluva fire station M Sajad, B Aneesh and Y A Rahuldas, who gave the training, were awarded the transfer.

The action was taken after the Director-General of Police (fire and rescue services) B Sandhya initiated a high-level probe. After the break of the controversy on the incident, the state fire department issued a circular banning training for religious and political outfits.

It was on March 30 that the fire services gave training to PFI volunteers in front of a large audience after the organisation officially applied for the same, and the district level fire and safety office sanctioned three staff for the programme. The training was on rescue operations, resuscitation methods and essential disaster management.

The suspension action was taken on the officials, citing not taking consent from senior officials in the department.

The controversy over the incident gathered mileage after the BJP state unit weaponised it against the ruling Communist government in the state, alleging that the government was appeasing communal forces.

PFI state president CP Muhammed Basheer responded that the event was not secret and was conducted through official request. PFI has been active in rescue missions in Kerala during the recent calamities, the pandemic etc. The organisation rejects the BJP's hate campaign against them with contempt, he added.