VC Complains to Chancellor against Syndicate Member

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala University Vice-Chancellor P K Radhakrishnan has written to Governor P Sathasivam - who is the Chancellor of the University - about the alleged unruly behaviour of Congress-backed Syndicate member B S Jyothi Kumar on the University premises last week.

According to the letter, a copy of which is with ‘Express’, Jyothi Kumar forcibly collected the key of Room No 107 of the Faculty Guest House on February 7 from the caretaker and went out of the room without surrendering the key. This was two days after he was elected to the Syndicate.

The room was later locked with a new padlock by the Security Officer. On February 9, the caretaker reported that the Room No 107 was again seen opened and occupied by Jyothi Kumar.

On inspection by the Security Officer, the new padlock was seen removed and the room was allegedly occupied by Jyothi Kumar. The University authorities lodged an FIR with the Cantonment police station following the incident. The letter by the Vice-Chancellor also mentions the alleged involvement of Jyothi Kumar in certain “untoward incidents” that took place during a dharna staged by UDF Senate members at the portico of the University Headquarters in Palayam from October 14 to 18 last year.

The protest caused much damage to the front ornamental door and window panes of the office, the letter said.

Following the incident, a case was registered against Jyothi Kumar and other protesters under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.  Speaking to ‘Express’, Jyothi Kumar said that Syndicate members are entitled to use the guest house and denied the charge that he had forcibly taken the key from the caretaker. “I had used the room for an official purpose. The allegation that I broke the padlock and forcibly occupied the room is baseless,” he said.

Security Officer Removed

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor has asked the Government to cancel its order ending the deputation of Suresh Kumar K S as Security Officer of the University’s Senate House campus. 

The Government had recently issued an order cutting short the deputation of Suresh Kumar from the post of Security Officer, allegedly due to the pressure exerted by Jyothi Kumar in the Home Department.

 However, the Vice-Chancellor is understood to have told the Government that the decision, reportedly taken at Jyothi Kumar’s behest, should be revoked. Sources said that the Vice-Chancellor has refused to sign the papers to relieveSuresh Kumar from the post.

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