UP: Officer 'forces' man to crouch like rooster, suspended
A government officer in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, has been removed from his post after a video of a man allegedly being forced to crouch like a rooster in his office went viral. The incident took place when a villager approached Mirganj Sub District Magistrate (SDM) Udit Pawar over the encroachment on a cremation ground. However, Pawar refuted the charges, claiming that the villager sat in the rooster-like position voluntarily to put pressure on him to take action.
Man came to SDM with plea against encroachment
According to ANI, the victim, who is from Mandanpur in UP, approached the SDM with a request to free some land in his village from encroachment. He was, however, allegedly made to kneel like a rooster in front of the officer. The locals claimed that some members of the Muslim community had taken over the cremation area in the name of establishing a cemetery. Soon after the incident, a video of it went viral on social media, sparking outrage.
Watch: Video of victim in rooster-like position before SDM
What victim said
"I went to his office regarding the cremation ground. I gave him testimonials stating there is no cremation ground... SDM sir punished me by asking me to 'crouch like a chicken,'" the victim alleged. "When I asked why he was doing it, he started abusing me. I told him I have come...for the third time as I have not got justice, and I will keep crouching like this till I get justice. He then said I was only acting."
Action initiated against Pawar
The district magistrate (DM) of Bareilly stated that an initial investigation revealed that the SDM was at fault. DM Shivakant Dwivedi told ANI, "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 prima facie, negligence of Pawar has been found, and he has been immediately attached to the headquarters," he said.
Officer denies allegations, says villager's action was voluntary
Meanwhile, Pawar refuted the allegations by the villagers, claiming that he had not asked anybody to kneel before him in the humiliating position. He said that the villager "voluntarily" sat in the rooster pose in front of him to put pressure on him to take action over the unlawful occupancy of the village's cremation site. Moreover, Pawar stated that no cremation ground is mentioned in official documents and that only a cemetery is registered there.
