Three civil police officers attached to the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) under the Pathanamthitta district police have been suspended for allegedly driving an official police vehicle under the influence of alcohol in Pathanamthitta town on Tuesday evening.District Police Chief R. Anand has placed the officers, identified as Suman, Priyesh and Rahul, under suspension pending further investigation into the incident, police sources said.Reckless drivingAccording to officials, the police jeep, which had arrived from the Mylapra side, was driven recklessly through the town and veered dangerously close to several vehicles.The situation came to a head when the jeep allegedly attempted to ram an autorickshaw driven by a woman. The driver, refusing to let the vehicle escape, chased the police jeep and intercepted it on the Ring Road near the office of the District Police Chief. Local residents soon gathered at the spot and questioned the occupants over the manner in which the vehicle had been driven. Eyewitnesses alleged that the driver appeared to be heavily intoxicated and was found slumped across the seat while driving.Two officers, excluding the one behind the wheel, allegedly attempted to flee the scene but were prevented from doing so by local residents. Following the commotion, personnel from the Pathanamthitta police station reached the spot and took all three officers into custody. They were later taken to the Pathanamthitta General Hospital for medical examination.The incident has caused a major embarrassment to the police department, particularly as it involved members of the anti-narcotics squad at a time when Operation Toofan, the State-wide anti-drug enforcement campaign, is under way. Taking serious note of the incident, the District Police Chief ordered immediate disciplinary action and suspension orders were issued shortly after midnight. Published - July 08, 2026 06:23 pm IST