Thiruvananthapuram, July 2: The Director General of Police (DGP) of Kerala, R. A. Chandrasekhar, has issued a circular prohibiting all police personnel from participating in religious ceremonies, rituals, or festivals while in uniform. Exceptions are made for those on official duty.
This directive follows several incidents where police officers were seen attending religious events in uniform, with images and videos circulating on social media. In response to these complaints, the police headquarters has released new guidelines regarding the appropriate use of official uniforms.
According to the circular, police officers cannot personally attend religious ceremonies, festivals, or events while wearing their uniforms. However, this restriction does not apply to officers engaged in maintaining law and order, crowd control, or security duties.
The circular emphasizes that police uniforms symbolize fairness and neutrality, and should not be used in a manner that could suggest support for any particular religion or religious activity.
This order will apply to all ranks within the Kerala Police, from civil police officers to senior officials. Officers have also been warned against sharing any content on social media, such as videos or reels, that depict them attending religious events in uniform.
The aim of this measure is to strengthen the professional standards of the police force and maintain its secular image and public trust. Senior police officials have stated that this directive ensures uniforms are used solely during authorized duties, allowing officers to uphold institutional neutrality while fulfilling their responsibilities.
This circular serves as a clear message to police personnel that the uniform represents state authority and should not be associated with personal religious activities.
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