Kasaragod: Deputy Tahsildar arrested for sexist, casteist remarks against Air India crash victim
Kasaragod: Deputy Tahsildar of Vellarikundu, A Pavithran, was arrested on Friday by Kanhangad Police for making derogatory remarks, including a sexist and casteist slur, against a nurse who died in the recent Air India crash. The arrest followed a complaint lodged by Nair Service Society’s Kanhangad taluk union president, Prabhakaran Karichery.
Pavithran’s Facebook post targeting the late Ranjitha Gopakumaran Nair (42), a nurse from Koipuram panchayat in Pathanamthitta, sparked widespread protests both online and on the ground in Kanhangad and Vellarikundu. Ranjitha, who had taken a UK-based nursing job after serving in Kerala’s Directorate of Health Services, died while travelling to London via Ahmedabad on the ill-fated Air India flight.
Several organisations took to the streets demanding Pavithran’s arrest. The BJP and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh marched to his residence in Mavungal. The Muslim Women’s League of the Indian Union Muslim League held protests in Kanhangad, while the Youth Congress organised a torch march in Vellarikundu.
Unaware of the growing outrage, Pavithran reported to duty on Friday morning. By 11 p.m., he was served a suspension order by Vellarikundu Tahsildar V Murali, acting on instructions from Kasaragod Collector Inbasekar K. The Collector has recommended Pavithran’s dismissal, citing repeated instances of misconduct.
Following concerns over his safety, Pavithran was intercepted by police while driving home and taken to Vellarikundu police station, before being handed over to Kanhangad DySP Babu Peringeth.
He has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita s.75 (sexual harassment), s.79 (insulting womanhood), s.196 (promoting enmity between groups) and s.67A of the IT Act (publishing sexually explicit content online).
The Collector described Pavithran’s post as defamatory and insulting to womanhood, adding that it tarnished the image of the Revenue Department. Past records show a pattern of similar behaviour. In August 2023, he received a warning for allegedly spreading defamatory content about a temple official. In February 2024, another warning was issued after he verbally abused a CPI union leader and his father. In September 2024, he was suspended for targeting Kanhangad MLA E Chandrasekharan through a social media post, but was reinstated after a minor censure.
Speaking to reporters, MLA Chandrasekharan said Pavithran’s actions had caused pain to his family and condemned his pattern of online abuse. "It’s not just about one community. He has consistently vilified various communities, including Vishwakarmas, through his social media posts," the MLA said.
Collector Inbasekar reiterated that despite repeated warnings and disciplinary actions, Pavithran continued to misuse social media, compelling him to recommend permanent dismissal.
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Four held for Rs 33 lakh online investment fraud; interstate racket busted
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted an interstate cyber fraud syndicate involved in an online investment scam and arrested four persons, an official said on Saturday.
A crime branch team arrested the accused in a case where a victim was allegedly cheated of Rs 33.83 lakh on the pretext of lucrative returns through online trading platforms.
“Police said the accused lured victims with promises of high returns and later coerced them into depositing more money on the pretext of unlocking or withdrawing earlier investments,” the officer said.
Police said the racket operated across several states, including Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan, and used a network of mule bank accounts to route and layer the defrauded money to conceal its origin.
“During the investigation, the cheated amount was traced to 15 bank accounts. Thirteen of these accounts were registered outside Delhi, indicating the organised and interstate nature of the syndicate,” said the police officer.
The accused have been identified as Mohammad Khalid (26) and Atiur Rahman (23), both residents of Delhi, Ramandeep Singh (29) from Punjab, and Tanish alias Heera Ram (27) from Rajasthan.
According to the police, Khalid was arrested on March 15 and allegedly disclosed that he gave his bank account details and SIM card to a co-accused for a commission.
Rahman, who was already lodged in a jail in Haryana in a similar case, was later formally arrested. Ramandeep Singh was arrested on April 6 and allegedly admitted to sharing his account credentials for monetary gain.
Tanish was apprehended from Rajasthan on April 9 for facilitating the use of such accounts in the fraud network.
During the probe, officers analysed over 100 call detail records, IMEI data and transaction-related digital evidence to track the accused and establish the money trail.
Three mobile phones and SIM cards used in the crime have been recovered.
Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate and trace additional financial linkages, the police said.
