In the latest development, Amethi DM Prashant Sharma has been sacked after a video of him dragging a murder victim’s kin by his shirt went viral yesterday. Arun Kumar will be the new DM in Amethi.
#Breaking: अमेठी के DM पर गिरी गाज, PCS अधिकारी से की थी बदसलूकी pic.twitter.com/xtNqXgnx5Q
— News18 India (@News18India) November 14, 2019
Sharma had also brazened out his misbehaviour and had called the video ‘edited’.
In a video that went viral yesterday, Prashant Sharma, the DM of Amethi, was seen manhandling a person who was trying to communicate with him over a recent murder case.
DM प्रशांत शर्मा जी, ये एक मृतक का भाई है, थोड़ा जज्बाती होना लाजमी है। आपने इस गरीब का नहीं, समूचे लोकतंत्र का कॉलर पकड़ कर घसीटा है। जिस संविधान की शपथ ली उसका ही अपमान किया है। मैं @myogiadityanath से अनुरोध करूँगा कि अमेठी DM तत्काल निलंबित किए जाएँ। @ChiefSecyUP pic.twitter.com/lYbdnX4rHV
— Vedank Singh (@VedankSingh) November 13, 2019
In the viral video, DM Sharma was seen first dragging a person by his hand, then by his shirt and literally shoving him, all the while talking to him in a menacing and threatening manner.
The person in the video was reportedly the kin of one Sonu Singh, a local vendor, and the son of a local BJP leader Shivnayak Singh in Amethi’s Visundaspur village under Gauriganj police station who was shot dead by unknown criminals on Tuesday. Yesterday, Singh’s family members and relatives had gathered near the post-mortem location demanding a detailed investigation into the murder case.
On Wednesday, as the agitating crowd gathered outside the post-mortem centre, the DM reportedly told the crowd that there are no countries where crimes do not take place and the administration is not god. When the man in the video, reportedly, a cousin of the victim, tried to tell the DM that a police van was in the vicinity and the crime could have been prevented, the DM dragged the man by his shirt and shoving him before the crowd, asked whether he can see anyone with a gun.
In the viral video, the gathered crowd is seen asking the DM to show a little compassion and not to behave in such a manner. As the video went viral, Amethi MP and Union Minister Smriti Irani tweeted tagging the DM’s official handle and stated, “We are the servants of the public, not the rulers. We should be compassionate and humble.”
However, instead of being ashamed of his behaviour, the DM went ahead to claim that the incident was not what it looked like and the video was edited. He called the viral video a ‘media misrepresentation’.
Ma’am, under your guidance, Amethi Admin is always here to help people. Here’s Mr Sunil Singh, the concerned person, himself clarifying the situation. pic.twitter.com/dC82rUZ9vh
— DM Amethi (@DmAmethi) November 13, 2019
The DM even got hold of Sunil Singh, the murder victim’s cousin whom he had dragged and shoved in the viral video, and made him say that the viral video was ‘edited’ and the DM has helped the family a lot. Sunil Singh was saying in that video that the DM had listened to him patiently and had promised all possible help. DM Sharma also shared a statement claiming that the video has been ‘edited’ and the allegations against him are false.
It is notable here that this is not the first time DM Prashant Sharma has been in the news. Earlier in January this year, The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad HC had issued a non-bailable warrant against DM Sharma for allegedly submitting false information in an affidavit.
As per a report in The Print Hindi, the court had summoned DM Sharma over the false affidavit and had placed him in custody till the end of hearing on that day in January. He was allowed to go after he had submitted a clarification and apology.
Social Media users have expressed anger and outrage over the arrogant behaviour of the DM with a common man and later attempts to brazen out his mistake by calling the video ‘edited’. People have been demanding action against the DM.
