The Uttarakhand IAS Association has strongly condemned the alleged attack on IAS R Meenakshi Sundaram (2001 batch), the incumbent Secretary of the Energy Department, and his office staff by Mr. Bobby Panwar, President of the Unemployed Association, and two of his associates.
In a statement issued today, the Association called for stringent action against those responsible for the incident, stressing that such attacks should not be allowed to recur.
The Association stated, “The Uttarakhand IAS Association unequivocally condemns the distressing incident that took place on November 6, 2024, in which Meenakshi Sundaram, Secretary to the Government of Uttarakhand, and his office staff were subjected to violence and intimidation at their office in Vishwakarma Bhawan. Bobby Panwar, along with two companions, forcibly entered the office of the Secretary, used abusive language, and issued threats to the IAS officer and his staff. The situation escalated with physical assault on the office staff, disrupting official work and creating a hostile environment.“
The Association expressed its full support for IAS Sundaram and his team, urging both the state government and law enforcement authorities to take necessary measures to safeguard the dignity and security of public servants, allowing them to carry out their duties without fear.
“We stand in solidarity with Mr. Sundaram and his office staff. We call upon the government and law enforcement agencies to ensure that public servants are protected and that such incidents are dealt with firmly,” the statement further read.
Following the incident, an FIR was registered by the Kotwali Police Station in Dehradun on Wednesday night. The charges include Sections: 115(2), 352, 351(3), 121(1), 132, and 221 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
IPS AP Anshuman (1998 batch), the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for Law and Order in Uttarakhand confirmed that the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Dehradun has been instructed to take legal action against Mr. Bobby Panwar and his associates for allegedly issuing death threats to IAS officer Sundaram.
Uttarakhand’s Director General of Police (DGP) Mr. Abhinav Kumar (1996-batch IPS officer) stated that the police would take strict action against Panwar and his two companions for their alleged misbehaviour, abusive language, physical assault, and the death threats they made against Officer Sundaram, who also serves as the Secretary for Housing in the Uttarakhand government.
According to a complaint filed by Officer Sundaram’s private secretary, Mr. Kapil Kumar, Mr. Panwar and his associates misbehaved with the Secretary and his staff, making threats to cause physical harm to the officer.