Kottayam, Oct 25: A Village Officer who was suspended following the controversy over certifying the caste of a person as 'Shunakan' (Dog) said it was a clerical mistake.

P A Shaji, Perumbaikad Village Officer had certified the caste of P N Vijayan of Perumbaikad as 'Shunakan' (Dog) in November 11, 2005.

In the school certificate of Vijayan who had studied up to 6th standard, his caste was entered as 'Hindu- Kshurakan' (Barber). But when he approached the village officer for a caste certificate, the village officer had certified the caste as Shunakan.

According to the village officer when Vijayan produced the school certificate as a proof he had informed him that there was no caste like Hindu Kshurakan and it should be 'Vilakkithala Nair' so he had to correct it through a notification in the gazette. But he insisted for issuing the certificate with the same caste as mentioned in the school certificate. However, due to a clerical mistake it was entered as Shunakan instead of Kshurakan. Further, the mistake was not brought to his notice, he said.

Meanwhile Vijayan alleged that even though the mistake was brought to the notice of the Village officer he refused to correct it.

UNI