UP Officer Removed From Post After 'Punishment' Video Goes Viral

The officer has denied the charge, saying the man was already crouched in that position when he entered his office, and he, in fact, asked him why he was doing it and requested others present there to help him up.

A government official in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly has been removed from his post after a video of a man allegedly being 'punished' inside his office went viral. Udit Pawar, the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Mirganj town in Bareilly district, has been accused of asking a man to 'crouch like a chicken' after he reportedly visited the officer for the third time with a request for a cremation ground. Mr Pawar has denied the charge, saying the man was already crouched in that position when he entered his office, and he, in fact, asked him why he was doing it and directed others present there to help him to his feet.

The District Magistrate has, however, said that an initial enquiry has revealed that the SDM was at fault. He has removed Mr Pawar from his post, and not assigned him a fresh posting so far.

The victim has alleged that he, along with some others from his village, reached the SDM office with a demand related to a cremation ground, but the SDM punished him instead, and threw away his letter.