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Chhattisgarh SDO removed, 3 cops suspended over attending obscene dance event
Videos of the dance performance at an orchestra programme held last week in the district’s Urmal village went viral on social media on Sunday
RAIPUR: Three policemen were suspended and a sub-divisional officer (SDO) has been removed from his post after they were seen enjoying an “obscene” dance performance at a programme in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district, officials said on Monday.
Videos of the dance performance at an orchestra programme held last week in the district’s Urmal village went viral on social media on Sunday
Gariaband collector Bhagwan Singh Uike said SDO (Revenue) Tulsidas Markam, a Chhattisgarh administrative service officer, has been removed from the SDO’s post. An inquiry by the additional collector has been ordered into the incident.
Raipur Divisional Commissioner will take action against the officer concerned on the basis of the probe report.
“The officer was present at the dance programme, and his involvement is visible. As the executive magistrate of the area, it was his responsibility to stop such an event. Instead, the programme continued in his presence,” Uike said.
He said the SDO permitted the programme from January 5 to January 10 without obtaining mandatory reports from the tehsildar and the local police station, calling it a serious procedural lapse.
According to a show-cause notice issued to the SDO, “obscene” dance performances continued for four days between January 5 and January 9, during which photographs of him at the venue as a “mute spectator” were widely circulated in newspapers and on social media. Despite being an executive magistrate, he allegedly failed to initiate any legal action.
The notice said his conduct was “highly reprehensible, unbecoming and undisciplined,” and violated the Chhattisgarh Civil Services Conduct Rules.
A senior police official said an FIR has been registered and 14 members of the programme’s organising committee have been arrested. Three policemen who were present at the event have been suspended and departmental proceedings have been initiated against them.
