Hours after Surajpur Collector IAS Ranbir Sharma was seen physically assaulting a child in Surajpur, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) has sent a notice to Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain demanding FIR and suitable disciplinary action against the IAS officer.
In the letter written to the Chief Secretary of the Chhattisgarh government, the NCPCR has said that they have received a complaint against Surajpur District Collector Ranbir Sharma. In the video, the Chhattisgarh IAS officer Ranbir Sharma was seen slapping a minor boy and smashing his phone on the ground for violating Covid-19 protocols, the letter said.
According to journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, the commission said that it has also received another complaint where the same officer was seen assaulting another 13-year-old boy, who had gone out during the lockdown to buy essential medicines for his father.
#BREAKING: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights sends notice to Chattisgarh Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain after Surajpur Collector IAS Ranbir Sharma is seen physically assaulting a child. Demands FIR against him and suitable disciplinary action. @KanoongoPriyank pic.twitter.com/Zo7A1MGNHr
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 23, 2021
The commission noted that such act of physically assaulting a child and causing extreme mental harassment by a government officer is punishable under various provisions of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and various sections under IPC. In the letter, the NCPCR chief that the commission has taken the matter into cognizance and has urged the Superintendent of Police, Surajpur, Chhattisgarh to conduct an immediate inquiry against the officer and submit an action report taken to the commission within 48 hours.
“Keeping in view the seriousness and sensitivity of the matter, the Commission is of the view that suitable disciplinary action against the officer should be initiated under relevant Departmental Act and Rules for such inaction, irresponsible behaviour and violations of Juvenile Justice Act, 2005 and IPC,” read the NCPCR letter to Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary.
AS officer Ranbir Sharma misbehaved with the boy
On Saturday, a series of video went viral on social media, in which IAS officer Ranbir Sharma was seen slapping a boy in Surajpur, Chattisgarh. In the video, the boy was seen showing some paper to the officer and something on his mobile phone. The officer snatched the phone from the boy’s hand and smashed it on the ground.
This brute is District Collector of @SurajpurDist, Chhattisgarh Ranbir Sharma. Has been suspended. Deserves far worse, of course. The IAS officer was reportedly transferred in 2015 on bribery charges. Should be made an example of and serve prison time. pic.twitter.com/qmV9YnVy6y
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 22, 2021
He then slapped the boy and instructed the police personnel posted at the site to hit him with sticks. Sharma was heard instructing, “maaro ise (hit him)”. Later, it was revealed that the IAS officer had thrashed another 13-year-old boy for being outside his residence during the lockdown.
The videos went viral on the internet create a major outrage against the IAS officer. Several people demanded strict action against the IAS officer for misusing his power and attacking a minor boy.
Shortly after the video went viral, Sharma released an apology video claiming that the boy was misbehaving with the police and also lied when caught flouting the Covid-19 lockdown protocol. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday took to Twitter to inform that he has instructed Ranbir Sharma be removed from his post. Reportedly he has been transferred to the state secretariate as a joint secretary.
Bhupesh Baghel said that such an act of misbehaving with someone is unacceptable and instructions have been given to remove him with immediate effect.
