Ahmedabad plane crash: Kerala govt official suspended, detained for sexist, casteist remarks against victim Ranjitha

A government official in the southern state of Kerala has been suspended for casteist and sexist remarks against a victim of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. A. Pavithran, a deputy tehsildar, was suspended for his remarks against Ranjitha G Nair, who was among the 241 people on board the Boeing plane who died in the crash near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday (June 12).

Who is Ranjitha G Nair, Ahmedabad plane crash victim?

Ranjitha G Nair, a 39-year-old nurse who halied from the Pathanamtitta destrict, was returning to London to finish her paperwork in order to end her job in the UK.

She wanted to return to India after that, re-enter her job in Kerala, and live with her children.

She had been building a home in her hometown.

What did Pavithran say about Ranjitha, the plane crash victim?

For derogatory remarks against Ranjitha, the deputy tehsildar Pavithran was taken into custody by police, after being suspended pending investigation.

In a social media post, Pavithran had made several comments against Ranjitha, which were both sexist and casteist.

After the comments went viral and became a controversy, he removed the post.

In his remarks, Pavithran alleged that Ranjitha died because she took leave from a Kerala government job to go abroad. He abused Ranjitha with casteist comments.

“A Nair woman from Kerala passed away. She went to the UK after taking leave from the state government job she got, and spoiling another person’s opportunity. Not feeling anything. Condolences to all,” Pavithran said in the post.

In the later comments, there were vulger references. Several people complained online to the chief minister of Kerala.

Following this, the district collector of Kasargod issued a suspension order against Pavithran.

Kerala minister decries derogatory comments against Malayali plane crash victim

Kerala Revenue minister K Rajan decried the comments by the deputy tehsildar, and said action was taken immediately to suspend him.

The minister said Pavithran did not show any respect expected at a time of tragedy.

“It is not only about disrepecting women, but the post lacked even the basic sense of dignity expected at a time of tragedy,” he said.

More about Ranjitha, the Ahmedabad plane crash crash victim from Kerala

Ranjita had gone to Muscat, Oman five years ago. Later she got a job in UK. She was in the process of building a new home, and returning to work in Kerala and live with her children, when tragedy struck.

She had returned to India just four days ago, in order to complete paperwork related to her government job in Kerala.

Pavithran is known for controversial posts, was supsended earlier too

It has emerged that Pavithran is no stranger to controversy.

He had rejoined work only a month ago after another suspension for a post about a former Kerala minister, E Chandrasekharan.