Kerala police officer Merin Joseph has been criticised for posting this picture on Facebook
On Sunday, moments after a police officer in Kerala posted her picture with popular southern actor Nivin Pauly on Facebook, it went viral. Merin Joseph, assistant commissioner of police, got thousands of 'likes', but far less admiring were media reports that alleged a violation of protocol.
Ms Joseph's post was titled - "With Nivin Pauly...The current sensation in Kerala". The officer and the actor were both guests at an event in a college in Ernakulam.
Media reports criticised the young Indian Police Service officer for uploading a photo taken when she was in uniform.
After days of criticism, Ms Joseph hit back with a scathing Facebook post on Thursday. "I was a guest and had no "official duties"... There was a huge gap during the event, the Home Minister had already left, and other guests on stage had moved aside, what am I as a guest with no other duties supposed to do? Jump off the stage? Stand in attention saluting the audience? ... The media channels which pander to such cheapness and voyeurism, have my pity. I pray such desperate means don't become the only means to earn their livelihood".
This is not the first time that Ms Joseph has faced controversy. Since she joined the Kerala cadre as a trainee officer, social media has been abuzz with comments on her looks.
Fed up with the media attention on her photo with the actor, Ms Joseph alleged that "non-issues are being sensationalized." She clarified that the picture was taken by Congress lawmaker Hibi Eden on her request and with the actor's consent.