Kasaragod: District Collector K Inbasekar has submitted a report to higher authorities recommending the dismissal of Pavithran, Deputy Tahsildar of Vellarikundu Taluk in connection with obscene remarks made on social media against Ranjitha G Nair, the Malayali woman who died in Ahmedabad plane crash.

Ranjitha G. Nair, who died in the crash, was a native of Kozhencherry in Pathanamthitta and worked as a nurse in London.

The accused has been taken into police custody and is being questioned at the Hosdurg police station. According to available information, he is likely to be produced before a magistrate after his arrest is officially recorded. Revenue Minister K. Rajan had earlier said that the official had been suspended after the offensive post came to light.

He had insulted Ranjitha on social media with both obscene and casteist remarks. He first posted on Facebook under the guise of expressing condolences for the plane tragedy, but the post included caste-based abuse. He then followed it up with obscene texts in the form of comments.

After screenshots of his post began circulating widely, it triggered a wave of public outrage on social media, prompting the government to act.

It is also reported that the same individual had earlier been suspended for making casteist remarks against former minister and MLA E. Chandrasekharan.