MP: SDM suspended after youths who overtook his car thrashed
The Madhya Pradesh government has suspended a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Umaria district, for allegedly ordering that two youths who overtook his car be beaten up. The alleged incident took place on Monday evening. A nine-second video of the purported incident has gone viral. The video shows two vehicles - one with an SDM sticker parked behind another car; and two men hitting a man. In a statement, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that SDM Amit Singh was suspended.
SDM, tehsildar among four booked over assault
The chief minister also said that such "inhuman treatment of common people will not be tolerated." In a post on X, Yadav said: "The incident of assault on two youths by Bandhavgarh SDM is unfortunate. Instructions have been given to suspend the SDM. There is a good governance government in Madhya Pradesh." Police have registered a case against the SDM along with a tehsildar and two others, PTI reported.
Read MP CM's full statement here
SDM denies allegations, claims youths were drunk
According to the Indian Express, the SDM has denied the reports. He alleged that the youths were involved in drunk driving. "We were on law and order duty. They were drunk. At the time, due to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, there were many festivals... and the youths were stopped from driving rashly. I reached there and saw that they were being assaulted," he said. He said that he reached the spot and tried to stop the assault.
The purported video of the incident shared on social media
Details of the FIR
The SDM was also quoted as saying: "I have a rod installed in my leg and could not have assaulted anyone. I am trying to file a counter-FIR." Meanwhile, police said they received information about an altercation involving three vehicle owners on Monday evening. Two youths were found in critical condition and taken to a hospital. An FIR was registered in which SDM Singh, tehsildar Vinod Kumar, driver Narendra Das Panika and Sandeep Singh, an assistant to tehsildar, were named.
