In a perplexing turn of events, a deceased assistant engineer has been posthumously transferred, raising eyebrows in Kalaburagi district. T Manujunath, undersecretary of the Urban Development Department, issued an order on July 9 transferring Ashok Putpak, who passed away six months ago while serving at the Sedam town municipal council (TMC), to the Madikeri city municipal council (CMC) in Kodagu as a junior engineer.
According to sources in Sedam, Ashok Putpak’s funeral was attended by several individuals, including officials from the Sedam TMC office, on January 13. His death occurred on January 12. Despite his demise, the department did not process his service benefits or other dues, opting instead to issue a transfer order to Madikeri.
The incident has drawn criticism, with local authorities and residents questioning the rationale behind transferring a deceased individual. Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharanprakash Patil, who represents Sedam constituency in the state Legislative Assembly, has expressed concern and vowed to seek a detailed report from the department regarding this unusual transfer.
The transfer order has sparked discussions on bureaucratic inefficiencies and the need for more streamlined processes within government departments.