The 23-year-old Aman Mittal who was seen being beaten by the police personnel in the viral video revealed that he had visited his grandmother who is undergoing Covid-19 treatment at a hospital. In a video shared by journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, he reveals how the IAS officer misbehaved with him.
Listen to the boy who was beaten by Surajpur Collector/DM Ranbir Sharma. This is the first boy who was beaten. #Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/S4iagzijTu
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 23, 2021
“The doctors had asked to get her blood test done. I went to the lab to get the technician and after fulfilling the requirements as prescribed by the doctor, I was stopped by the police. I parked my bike to the side and went to show the slip. He (IAS Sharma) asked me to go then suddenly snatched my phone and smashed it and slapped me without even seeing the slip.”
After the video of IAS Ranbir Sharma of Surajpur district, Chhattisgarh thrashing a boy went viral on social media, the netizens reacted sharply to the manhandling of common citizens by the bureaucrat.
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. However, the two boys who were thrashed by the police on the orders of IAS Sharma spoke to the media about their ordeal.
He added that the Collector then asked the police personnel at the site to beat him up which is evident in the video.
When asked if he plans to take any action, Mittal said, “If this would have been done by a lower-level officer we could have approached the higher level. But who do we go to when the highest officer of the district himself behaves so.”
13-year-old beaten for stepping out for medical supply
Sahil Gupta, a 13-year-old was thrashed by police on the orders of IAS Ranbir Sharma when he stepped out to get medical supplies.
While interacting with the media, the boy informed that the officer questioned him while he was buying medicines at a medical shop. Despite informing that he had come to purchase medicines, Sharma asked the police to hit him with the stick.
This is the second boy who is 13 years old who was beaten by Surajpur Collector Ranbir Sharma. Request National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chaiperson @KanoongoPriyank to kindly take note since the victim is a minor. Thanks pic.twitter.com/8HyVN06x6U
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 23, 2021
The boy has sustained injuries near his ankle.
As per @Im_Hrg the boy who is being beaten by Surajpur Collector @RanbirSharmaIAS was going to deliver food to his father and grandmother in the hospital. There is another 13 year old boy who was going to a chemist to get medicines and was beaten. Photographs below. @sanjg2k1 https://t.co/GXzbqPr069
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 22, 2021
IAS Sharma apologized justifying his actions
The Chhattisgarh IAS officer Ranbir Sharma of Surajpur district apologized on Saturday for slapping a man and smashing his phone on the ground for violating Covid-19 protocols. The officer released a video apologizing for his behavior and citing the reason upon receiving a backlash from netizens after his video misbehaving with the man went viral.
Collector Ranbir Sharma in his video statement claimed that the boy misbehaved with the police. He said, “The boy first said he is going for vaccination, however, he showed a receipt which wasn’t related to vaccination. He then said he is going to meet his grandmother. I slapped him in the heat of the moment.”
In another statement that is being circulated by the Chhattisgarh government to media personnel as damage control, Sharma apologizing for his behavior said, “I never had any intention to disrespect or belittle the person in the video.”
District Collector Sharma removed
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday took to Twitter to inform that he has instructed Ranbir Sharma be removed from his post.
सोशल मीडिया के माध्यम से सूरजपुर कलेक्टर रणबीर शर्मा द्वारा एक नवयुवक से दुर्व्यवहार का मामला मेरे संज्ञान में आया है।
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) May 23, 2021
यह बेहद दुखद और निंदनीय है। छत्तीसगढ़ में इस तरह का कोई कृत्य कतई बर्दाश्त नहीं किया जाएगा।
कलेक्टर रणबीर शर्मा को तत्काल प्रभाव से हटाने के निर्देश दिए हैं।
He said that such an act of misbehaving with someone is unacceptable and instructions have been given to remove him with immediate effect.
The viral video
In the video that has now gone viral on social media, the boy can be seen showing some paper to the officer and something on his mobile phone. Soon after 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).”
