IAS body condemn Chhattisgarh collector for slapping man, CM transfers him

Surajpur collector Ranbir Sharma slapped a man and threw his mobile phone to the ground and encouraged cops to beat him up with sticks.

Published on: May 23, 2021, 11:59:53 IST

By Ritesh Mishra, Raipur

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Indian Administrative Services (IAS) Association has condemned the behaviour of Surajpur’s collector a day after a video of the officer slapping a man for violation of Covid-19 norms in Chhattisgarh went viral on social media.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday transferred the IAS officer, seen slapping a man for violation of Covid-19 norms.

“The IAS Association strongly condemns the behaviour of collector Surajpur, Chhattisgarh. It is unacceptable & against the basic tenets of the service & civility. Civil servants must have empathy & provide a healing touch to society at all times, more so in these difficult times,” the IAS Association tweeted on Sunday. IAS Association is an organization of serving and retired members of the Indian Administrative Service.

Collector Ranbir Sharma slapped a man and threw his mobile phone to the ground and encouraged cops to beat him up with sticks. After the video of the incident went viral drawing condemnation of his actions, Sharma apologised on Saturday, while trying to rationalise his conduct.

"Today a video is viral on social media in which I am shown slapping a man who was out during [the] lockdown. I sincerely apologize for today's behaviour. I never had any intention to disrespect or belittle the person in the video," Sharma said in a video statement before adding, "He was riding a bike and was speeding. The man also misbehaved with officials."

However, taking a strong exception to the incident, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday transferred the officer and attached him to the state secretariat as a joint secretary. Gaurav Kumar Singh was appointed the new district collector of Surajpur in his place.

"An incident of Surajpur district collector Ranbir Sharma misbehaving with a young man has been brought to my attention by social media. This is extremely unfortunate and condemnable. No such incident shall be tolerated in Chhattisgarh. Have given instructions to remove collector Ranbir Sharma with immediate effect," a rough translation of Baghel's tweet, posted in Hindi, read.

In a similar case of abuse of power seen last month, West Tripura District’s collector Shailesh Kumar Yadav had to relinquish office following allegations that he was guilty of gross misconduct. On the night of April 26th in Agartala, Yadav stopped a marriage, being held in violation of Corona night curfew, insulted the bridegroom and even slapped the priest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.