Enforcing lockdown rules has become a premise for entitled bureaucrats and police officials to harass ordinary Indian citizens on flimsy grounds. Despite High Court orders warning the police against the use of batons and laathis on ‘lockdown violators’, innumerable citizens across the nation continue to be victimized by an overzealous and inhumane ‘system’. In a video which has now gone viral on social media, Surajpur district collector Ranbir Sharma decided that harassing, slapping and destroying the smartphone of a 23-year-old man was the right way to go about ensuring that the public follows lockdown guidelines in Chhattisgarh.
The viral video shows the youth – who was riding a two-wheeler – being intercepted by the district collector and police personnel for venturing out amid a complete lockdown. As is evident from the now viral 3-minute video, the youth shows some documents to the collector upon being stopped by his team. Thereafter, the collector snatches the mobile phone from the youth’s hand and throws it on the ground. The IAS officer then slaps the youngster and directs security personnel to hit him. Security personnel rush towards the youngster and hit him with batons multiple times. The youth was reportedly out during lockdown to get vaccinated.
https://twitter.com/SushantBSinha/status/1396149357699682307?s=20
The youth is also ‘punished’ for his travesty, and is asked to do sit ups while holding his ears like a school student. The video of brazen bureaucratic overreach has shocked the nation, and a massive social media campaign to get the IAS officer in question sacked has been waged. Due to the tremendous public pressure, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday ‘transferred’ the collector.
Ranbir Sharma has reportedly been transferred to the secretariat and replaced by Raipur Jila Panchayat CEO Gaurav Kumar Singh. Why an enquiry against the entitled IAS officer has not been constituted which can lead to his termination from the civil services summarily remains unknown. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel condemned the officer’s conduct on Twitter, and said, “It (the incident) is very sad and condemnable. In Chhattisgarh, no such act will be tolerated at all. Instructions have been given to remove Collector Ranbir Sharma with immediate effect… Such conduct is not acceptable in the official life of any officer. I am upset with this incident. I apologise to the young man and his family.”
The IAS Association has also condemned the behaviour by saying, “It is unacceptable and against the basic tenets of the service and civility. Civil servants must have empathy and provide a healing touch to society at all times, more so in these difficult times.”
The despicable incident should serve as a reminder to bureaucrats and police officials across the country to not harass citizens without fear of any pushback from the public. They should be especially mindful of not overstepping their mandate and authority.
