Education officer suspended in J&K's Kishtwar district

Kishtwar (J&K): A deputy chief education officer (DCEO) was suspended and an inquiry was ordered against him for allegedly creating hindrances in election- related works in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, officials said on Saturday.

DCEO, Kishtwar, Javed Ahmad Kitchloo was placed under suspension pending an inquiry by District Election Officer Angrez Singh Rana yesterday, they said.

"He was suspended for misusing the name of the deputy commissioner's office and creating undue hindrances in election-related works by detaching a teacher, Lok Raj, who was attached in the office of the Tehsildar, Bounjwah, for smooth functioning of special summary revision 2017-18 as well as the preparation for the panchayat election," the officials said.

The DCEO, in his order on November 9, had asked Tehsildar, Bounjwah, to direct Raj to report to his original place of posting at the Mughabad Middle School by citing a telephonic message from the deputy commissioner (DC) of Kishtwar, they said.

The officials said that the Tehsildar, Bounjwah, in his response on November 23, had requested the Kishtwar DCEO not to detach the official by citing that "his services were required in election-related works till the completion of the summary revision".

No such telephonic message was given to any officer from the DC's office in Kishtwar, they said.

The officials said that Kitchloo was called yesterday by the DC to explain the reasons for misusing the name of his office and causing the undue hindrance in urgent election- related assignments.

However, instead of explaining his action, he got agitated and warned the DC that he "would create trouble for him", they claimed.

Kitchloo was immediately placed under suspension for "creating hindrance in the election-related works and for his "unbecoming behaviour as an officer", the officials said

The DC has ordered a detailed inquiry and asked officials concerned to furnish their report within 10 days, they said.