Thiruvananthapuram: Industries Department director K Gopalakrishnan on Sunday courted controversy after screenshots of a WhatsApp group of “Hindu IAS officers”, of which he was the administrator, were leaked to the media. However, the officer clarified, according to reports, that the group was created to wish Diwali. Civil servants are prohibited from acting or taking decisions on the basis of caste or religion. The group was deleted once the screenshots hit the news.

Later, Gopalakrishnan filed a complaint with Cyber ​​Cell, claiming that his WhatsApp account had been hacked. The group, comprising officers ranging from collectors to additional chief secretaries, was wiped out within an hour of its formation. Gopalakrishnan sent a personal message to each member of the group that his WhatsApp account had been hacked. He clarified in the message that someone had created 11 WhatsApp groups in his name. He also told the media that his phone was hacked.