Transport of tribal woman’s body in auto: Tribal Extension Officer suspended

Wayanad: The Department of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Welfare has suspended Tribal Extension Officer (TEO) Noushad O of Mananthavady in connection with the incident where the body of a tribal woman was transported in an autorickshaw.

While the suspension order was issued on Wednesday, it was served to Noushad on Thursday. The action was taken following the failure of the tribal department to arrange an ambulance to transport the body of a tribal woman to the community burial ground from the Government Medical College Hospital in Mananthavady on Monday.

The deceased, Chunda, a tribal woman from the '4 Cent Unnathi' settlement in Edavaka Panchayath, passed away at the hospital. The incident triggered protests by tribal activists and political leaders, including a sit-in outside the Tribal Development Office in Mananthavady. In response to the agitation, the department initially suspended tribal promoter Mahesh Kumar.

Further inquiries revealed failures on the part of TEO Noushad O, who, according to reports by the Tribal Development Officer in Mananthavady and the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) Officer in Kalpetta, failed to act responsibly despite being informed of the death earlier.  

Sureshkumar MR, Junior Superintendent at the Mananthavady Tribal Development Office, has been assigned the charge of the TEO's duties. The suspension order for Noushad was served only after Congress workers staged a protest at the Tribal Development Office on Thursday.