Tomin Thachankary cakewalk turns sour

Thiruvananthapuram: Controversial IPS officer Tomin J. Thachankary, who had a controversial tenure as the transport commissioner for distributing cakes and sweets on his birthday in RTO offices across the state, was removed from his post on Friday. ADGP S. Ananthakrishnan has been appointed as the new transport commissioner in his place. Mr Thachankary will, however, continue as the MD of KBPS, a post held by him now.

The decision to remove Mr Thachankary was taken at a Cabinet meeting after transport minister A.K. Saseendran voiced his opinion against the official. Mr Saseendran pointed out that the transport commissioner was creating problems for the government since the time he took charge as the transport commissioner. Some of his recent decisions to make the helmet mandatory for supplying petrol were taken without consulting the minister. The no helmet, no petrol rule was kept in abeyance following the intervention of the minister. Chief secretary S.M. Vijayanand had submitted a report to the government terming the birthday celebrations of Mr Thachankary in RTO offices as inappropriate, which forced the Cabinet to take the decision.

The transport minister who confirmed the removal of Mr Thachankary said, “When a new government comes, officials are shifted as part of a normal procedure. There was some delay in this case.” When asked if he was happy with the decision, he said he was “neither happy, nor sad”.  When the issue of his birthday celebrations had became controversial, Mr Thachankary had said that sweets were distributed with “good intention”. Though, he had also tendered his regret for his action, the minister seemed to be least impressed.