A day after a video purportedly showing senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan abusing a woman officer during a review meeting went viral, the Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered an inquiry against him, while the National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance.Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he has taken up the issue “in the strongest possible terms” with the Chief Secretary, even as political leaders called for action against the senior officer. The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officers, meanwhile, observed a pen-down strike.The video came to light on Thursday. While reviewing a meeting of officers for Mission YUVA, Ranjan allegedly called the woman officer, Beenish Wani, “bl**dy sh*t”, saying he can always talk to her like this. As the woman officer strongly objected to his language, he allegedly directed his subordinate to prepare her suspension order.An inquiry order issued by the government on Friday reads, “Sanction is hereby accorded to the appointment of Ms. Mandeep Kaur, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, as Inquiry Officer to conduct an in-depth inquiry into the matter of alleged misconduct by Mr Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Administrative Secretary, Labour & Employment Department, with Ms Beenish Wani, JKAS, Assistant Director, Employment, Ganderbal, being reported in the print/electronic media. The Inquiry Officer shall submit her report within a period of 15 days from the date of issuance of this order.”The National Commission for Women asked Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo to submit an Action Taken Report in seven days, saying it had taken note of the viral video that allegedly showed Ranjan “verbally abusing, humiliating and threatening [a] junior woman officer”.“The Commission also called for safeguards against workplace harassment, victimisation and professional retaliation, along with protection and support for the woman officer… Every woman officer is entitled to a safe, respectful and dignified workplace. Abuse of authority and workplace humiliation must be addressed with utmost seriousness,” it said.Chief Minister Abdullah said, “I’ve seen the video of the online government meeting that is circulating on social media. Prima facie, the conduct of the senior officer was not in keeping with the standards expected of a senior IAS officer, and the subsequent threats issued to a junior JKAS officer only make matters worse. I’ve taken this up in the strongest possible terms with the Chief Secretary. Unfortunately, as a Union Territory, control over IAS officers rests with Lok Bhavan, but as CM, I’ve instructed the CS to ensure the JKAS officer faces no retributive action.”Story continues below this ad“Had J&K been a state, the IAS officer seen abusing a young JKAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department pending an inquiry into his conduct. As a UT, we expect the authorities with control over the IAS officers to set the right example and ensure abusive, threatening behaviour is not brushed under the carpet,” he said.J-K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra wrote to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, calling for his intervention. “If the allegations are substantiated, appropriate action should follow, irrespective of the position held by the officer concerned,” Karra wrote.Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone called the incident “scary” while praising the woman officer for standing her ground. “We may pretend to be surprised, but reality as it exists is that it is normal for such behaviour to be exhibited. Workplace bullying by officers exists. This is a vicious circle. IAS officers bully their junior officers; their junior officers bully their junior officers; and the viciousness carries on in its most lethal form on to the common masses,” he said.In Jammu, members of the All India Confederation of SC, ST, OBC, Minority and Adivasi Organisations held a protest demanding Ranjan’s termination from service.