Resentment among employees; Collector Arun K Vijayan seeks transfer

KANNUR: Resentment is brewing among the employees against district collector Arun K Vijayan for maintaining silence during the farewell ceremony that led to the suicide of ADM Naveen Babu. There are also protests over not placing Naveen Babu's body at the Kannur Collectorate for public viewing. It is learned that the collector approached the higher authorities for a transfer but the application was not considered.

Arun K Vijayan didn't come to the office yesterday. There are also indications that the employees will boycott the collector. The employees are angry that not only did the collector not stop the district panchayat president PP Divya when she insulted his colleague Naveen Babu but also allowed the channel cameraman to shoot it. Leaders of the Left organisations are also of the opinion that the collector who takes action even on the minor lapses of the officials is a humble servant of political leaders.

The employees had detained the collector on the day of ADM's death, during the protest by the NGO association. The collector was released by the police. The collector had turned off the comment option of the condolence note posted on Facebook, anticipating criticism.

Collector's security beefed up

The number of policemen in the collectorate compound was increased following allegations that it was the collector who informed Divya about the controversial meeting and gave her an opportunity to raise objections. The collectorate staff council had organized the farewell for Naveen Babu in private. The collector was decided as the chairman. The meeting was scheduled at 3 pm without inviting people's representatives for the convenience of the collector.

Coordinated for Divya?

PP Divya and Naveen Babu had attended another meeting at 10 am. Divya did not make any allegations there. Later, Divya's office called the collector's office to find out if the send-off meeting had started. The employees alleged that when the district panchayat president arrived uninvited, the collector, who was the chairman, did not stop her because he knew things in advance and this was evident in the body language of the collector.