'Collector Bro' suspended: What led to action against popular Kerala IAS officer

N Prashanth, Special Secretary in the Agricultural Department, widely known as 'Collector Bro,' has been suspended by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government, along with another senior IAS officer, K Gopalakrishnan, who served as the Director of Industries and Commerce. Prasanth, who became famous during his tenure as Kozhikode District Collector for his active social media presence and social initiatives, faced suspension for publicly criticising senior IAS officer and Additional Chief Secretary A Jayathilak on social media. The Chief Minister’s decision followed a report by Chief Secretary Sharada Muralidharan, which recommended disciplinary action against Prasanth for insulting Jayathilak online. In the suspension order issued late Monday, the Kerala government stated that Prasanth’s actions constituted serious indiscipline and violations of the All India Services Conduct Rules, 1968. IAS OFFICER’S COMMUNAL WHATSAPP GROUP K Gopalakrishnan, the other IAS officer suspended by the Kerala government alongside Prasanth, was at the centre of a controversy after creating a WhatsApp group named 'Mallu Hindu Officers', consisting solely of Hindu IAS officers from Kerala.