UP power official expelled for putting Osama bin Laden’s photo in office, revering him as ‘best engineer in world’

Osama bin Laden. PTI/FILE

A sub-divisional officer in the electricity department in Nawabganj division of Farrukhabad district in Uttar Pradesh has been suspended after a poster of terrorist Osama bin Laden with a caption ‘Revered Osama bin-Laden — world’s best junior engineer’ was allegedly seen pasted on the wall of his office.

The poster triggered controversy after few members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bharat) raised an objection and its picture went viral on social media. Soon action was taken against 47-year-old SDO (Nawabganj) Ravindra Prakash Gautam who was suspended on Wednesday and the poster with Osama bin Landen’s photo was removed from the wall of the government office.

According to a report by ToI, Gautam had been working with the power department for the past 21 years. Quoting its official sources, the report said that the suspended SDO had placed the photo of the terrorist after reading a book that mentioned “Laden had had a degree in civil engineering and was associated with major construction projects in Saudi Arabia in the initial phase of his life.”

Gautam told the publication that he placed the photo of bin Laden around a month back. “Osama bin-Laden was a civil engineer and executed a mega plan without scope for failure. The picture was simply there for personal motivation — to set high targets and work meticulously to achieve them.”

He further said that his “intention was not destructive” and that he is not a supporter of terrorism.

Gautam said that he has never indulged in anything unlawful. “In fact, I take inspiration from missile man APJ Abdul Kalam, too, and have always had his picture and quote on display at my office.”

Gautam hails from Lucknow and has a double diploma degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. He also has a B Com and an LLB degree. He is also father to a six-year-old girl.

His colleagues said that Gautam had been suffering from “mental complications” in the last three weeks. One of his co-workers said, “Gautam recently had put up wires around the office and passed current through them, saying this was needed to prevent a ‘sudden attack’. We had no idea what he meant.”

A report by Hindustan Times mentioned Executive engineer SK Srivastava saying, “The chief engineer and I have stopped taking Gautam’s calls. He has been behaving weirdly for some time and has been making wild allegations against everyone.”

Managing director of Dakshinanchal Vidyut Nigam Amit Kishore suspended SDO Ravindra Gautam over the issue. The MD said, “During the suspension period, Gautam will be attached with Kannauj.”

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