Govt officer forces man to crouch like a chicken in UP; sacked from role

After a video showing a man forced to crouch like a chicken in the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Meerganj tehsil of Bareilly Uttar Pradesh went viral on social media on Friday (September 15), the SDM has been removed from his duties. 

Divisional Commissioner Saumya Agarwal of Bareilly said that a probe has been ordered into the incident.  The incident took place when a man named Pappu, along with other villagers, came to the SDM Udit Pawar's office to file a complaint about the alleged encroachment of a cremation ground. As per the reports, Pappu was punished by the government officer because he visited him thrice with the same request.

Pappu alleged that he was verbally abused and forced to crouch like a chicken as a punishment by the SDM.

Meanwhile, SDM denied all the allegations and said Pappu voluntarily crouched like a chicken, and his friends captured photographs and videos to post them online.

"I did not ask any complainant to squat. The youth who came to my office squatted on his own as he entered my room. His friends took photographs and made videos, and then made those videos viral," Pawar said.

"I assured them that the matter will be probed by the tehsildar, and action will be taken if any encroachment of cremation ground is found," he added.

However, the District Magistrate Shivakant Dwivedi dismissed the explanations given by Pawar and stated that he was indeed at fault and Pawar has been removed from his post.

"A video came to my notice in which a person was made to sit on the floor in a humiliating position in the office of SDM Udit Pawar. It was investigated, and negligence of Mirganj SDM Udit Pawar has been found, and he has been immediately attached to the headquarters," the DM said.

Now, Desh Deepak Singh has been appointed as the new Bareilly SDM.

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