THANJAVUR: There was high drama in Tamil University, Thanjavur, on Monday as the outgoing registrar (in charge) locked his official room before his successor took charge. Later the lock was broken open in the presence of police and the new registrar (in-charge) took over.
Sources said V-C (in-charge) K Sankar issued an order on December 27 evening for relieving the incumbent Registrar (in-charge) C Thiyagarajan, who was also a professor and the head of the Department of Scientific Tamil and Tamil Development. In his place, the V-C appointed D Vetrichelvan, associate professor of Tamil Studies in Foreign Countries.
When arrangements were made for Vetrichelvan to take charge on Monday, the outgoing registrar locked the room claiming he still remained the registrar (in charge). Anticipating trouble, police were posted on the campus seemingly based on the request of the V-C office.
As the deadlock continued, the V-C (in-charge) cited the by-laws of the University, which state that V-C (in-charge) has all the powers of a regular V-C. Then, the lock of the registrar’s room was broken open in the presence of the police and finally Vetrichelvan, who was waiting in the V-C’s chamber, took charge as the registrar (in charge).
Meanwhile, V-C Sankar on Monday evening issued an order placing Thiyagarajan under suspension pending an inquiry. Six charges against him included not implementing the decisions of the Syndicate meeting held on September 13, writing a letter to Government Secretary without the V-C’s consent for fixing a date for the meeting, refusing to receive the relieving letter from the post of registrar (in-charge), issuing a letter relieving the V-C (in-charge) knowing fully well he did not have the powers.