BANGLADESH

A Gulshan police sub-inspector has been suspended for destroying evidence and neglecting duty after seizing a close-circuit TV camera of Persona Beauty Parlour.

On Sept 30 evening, a female doctor went for a spa at the parlour's branch at Banani road no 11. She discovered a camera in the dressing room she was using for changing. The woman complained verbally to police, spoke to the media and called up her businessman husband, causing rancour.

Once there, the husband erased images of her from the parlour's computer in presence of sub-inspector Mehedy Masud.

Gulshan circle's deputy police commissioner Lutful Kabir told . "The relevant official reached the scene immediately after the incident. The video footage was deleted in presence of the officer. He has been suspended for his failure to protect the evidence of such a sensitive case."

Police have formed a committee, headed by additional deputy police commissioner Nizamul Haque Molla, to investigate the incident. Two others on the committee are assistant commissioners Mizanur Rahman and Nurul Alam.

Lutful Kabir told, "We have constituted an investigation committee since the Persona incident is very sensitive. The committee will investigate the incident, police officer's role and the logics behind installation of the camera."

The committee will submit a report in the next three days, he said.

Cameras, however, remain hanging in other rooms of Persona.

Discussions raged on social networking site facebook.com and blogs over the secret cameras in the parlour.

But owner Kaniz Almas told  on Sept 1, "The cameras are there for security reasons and I do not think they are violating anyone's privacy."

"Persona will not bring down any cameras," she added.