Kerala Revenue official arrested for derogatory, casteist remarks against nurse killed in Ahmedabad plane crash

Kerala Police have arrested a Revenue Department official for making obscene and casteist remarks against Ranjitha Gopakumaran Nair, a Malayali nurse who died in the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.

A Pavithran, a junior superintendent at the Vellarikundu Taluk Office, was taken into custody by Hosdurg police on Friday evening.

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A case was registered against him under non-bailable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Sections 196, 75, and 67A) and the Information Technology Act.

According to police, a medical examination confirmed he was intoxicated while on duty at the time of his arrest.

Earlier in the day, the Kasaragod District Collector suspended Pavithran from service for posting a misogynistic and casteist comment about Ranjitha, who had gone abroad on leave from her government job.

The Collector also recommended his dismissal from service, citing his repeated misconduct and refusal to reform despite multiple warnings and disciplinary actions.

“Pavithran’s continued misdeeds have brought disrepute to the Revenue Department and the government,” the Collector noted in his report, indicating that his dismissal is imminent.

The official sparked outrage after posting a derogatory comment under a Facebook condolence post for Ranjitha. In addition to mocking the deceased nurse, Pavithran also made casteist and sexually abusive remarks, which he later deleted.

However, screenshots had already gone viral, triggering widespread public anger and condemnation on social media.

In his now-deleted post, Pavithran wrote:
“The pilot behaved like an auto driver. He crash-landed the flight in a place where many doctors were staying. A Nair woman from Kerala died. She had secured a job with the Kerala government, took leave, and went abroad, depriving someone else of that opportunity. I don’t feel any condolences for any of them.”

In response to the controversy, Revenue Minister K Rajan directed Kasaragod District Collector K Imbasekar to immediately suspend the official. In an official statement, the minister described Pavithran’s posts as “mean, spiteful, and cruel.”

This is not the first time Pavithran has faced disciplinary action. In August 2023, the Additional District Magistrate issued a formal warning after the president of Nellikattu Shrimad Paramashiva Vishwakarma Temple lodged a complaint over defamatory social media posts.

Again in February 2024, Kasaragod resident V Bhuvanachandran filed a complaint accusing Pavithran of online defamation, which led to another stern warning.

In September 2024, Pavithran was suspended for making casteist remarks on Facebook against former minister and Kanhangad MLA E Chandrasekharan. Although disciplinary proceedings were initiated, the matter was later settled with a censure, and Pavithran was reinstated on November 7.

Despite repeated warnings and disciplinary measures, Pavithran continued his offensive behavior, ultimately leading to his arrest and likely dismissal from government service.