Team News Riveting
Raipur, May 23
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ranbir Sharma was removed from the post of Surajpur Collector after a video went viral airing the official beating up a youth out for a medical emergency during lockdown.
The state government came under sharp criticism, ironically, not from the political fronts but from the people. Finally, the officer had to face the axe as the Chief Minister, Bhupesh Baghel, took a serious note and asked to remove the officer with immediate effect.
“Through social media, the incident of Surajpur Collector Ranbir Sharma misbehaving with a young man has come to my notice. It is very sad and condemnable. In Chhattisgarh, no such act will be tolerated at all. Instructions have been given to remove Collector Ranbir Singh with immediate effect,” Baghel said in a tweet.
The Chief Minister said he was deeply hurt with the incident and apologized to the victim and the family members.
In his last ditch efforts to save himself, Sharma tried to put the ball on youth’s court. But it could not convince the Chief Minister and finally, it was a lost battle for him.
Ranbir Sharma not only slapped the youth but also asked the policemen to bash him up. The cops thrashed him with lathis even as the youth was pleading that he was out for a medical emergency. The youth sustained minor injuries on his legs.
A senior police official in Chhattisgarh dared to criticize the act of the IAS official soon after the clips were on air. The IAS Association had also castigated the official for publicly beating up a youth.
The 2012-batch IAS officer had been in the thick of controversy during his posting in Bastar over a shady deal.
