Three held for ''cleansing'' retired dalit officer''s room

PTI | 02:04 PM,Apr 21,2011

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 21 (PTI) Three government employees were arrested in connection with an alleged 'cleansing act' in which cowdung water was sprinkled in the room and on the furniture used by a senior official belonging to a scheduled caste community. The alleged cleansing was carried out at the Registration office following the retirement of Inspector General of Registration, A K Ramakrishnan on March 31. Ramakrishnan has approached the Human Rights Commission seeking a probe into the matter. A Junior Superintendent at sub-registrar office, an Upper Division clerk at the Registration IG's office and a class four staff have been arrested in this connection, police said today. The three employees were not in good terms with Ramakrishnan and their action was due to personal enmity, they added. Ramakrishnan in his petition had stated that the 'cleansing' was performed as he belonged to an SC community and it amounted to violation of his human rights and civil liberties. Meanwhile,the government has decided to appoint V K Balakrishnan as Registration IG in place of the person who was holding charge of the post now.