Land Revenue Commissioner H. Dineshan has suspended Payyannur tahsildar Paul K.P. from service with immediate effect in connection with the transport of the body of rescue volunteer R. Rajesh from Kannur to Chavakkad in Thrissur in a vehicle without freezer facilities.

Revenue Minister A.P. Anilkumar said the decision to transport the body in an ambulance without freezer facilities did not appear to be a deliberate one. However, it was still a lapse. A decision should have been made taking into consideration the condition of the body that had been recovered after three days and that it had to be transported a distance that would take 10-12 hours. Anyone would know what would happen if the body were kept that long without freezer. This was the reason for the suspension, he said.

Earlier, Mr. Anilkumar had directed the Land Revenue Commissioner to suspend the tahsildar following the receipt of an inquiry report from Kannur District Collector P. Vishnuraj. The Minister had warned of strict action against officials who were responsible for lapses in the matter.

Rajesh from Thiruvananthapuram had died during rescue operations in the Kariyangode river at Meenthulli, near Cherupuzha, on August 1. His body was recovered after three days.

Following a complaint that Rajesh’s body, which had not been embalmed, was transported from the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital, Pariyaram, in an ambulance without a freezer unit before being shifted to another ambulance at Chavakkad for the onward journey to his home in Thiruvananthapuram, the Kannur District Collector ordered a detailed probe. Additional District Magistrate P.N. Purushothaman was tasked with the investigation.

CCTV footage showing the body being transferred from one ambulance to another on the roadside had also surfaced.

The District Collector reported serious lapses and inattention on the part of Mr. Paul who was also the incident commander.

The suspension order says Mr. Paul failed to ensure an ambulance with a freezer unit to transport Rajesh’s body and did not consult with the district administration properly.

Mr. Paul has been suspended pending department-level action, according to the order.

Published - August 08, 2026 08:39 pm IST