Araria DAO among 2 booked for ‘insulting’ chowkidar

PATNA: An FIR was lodged against district agriculture officer (DAO) of Araria Manoj Kumar and district agriculture coordinator (DAC) Kumar Rajiv on Thursday for forcing a police chowkidar to do sit-ups for 50 times. The DAO has been charged with criminal intimidation, causing obstruction in discharge of official duty, defamation and assault or using criminal force besides violating the provisions of National Disaster Act.
Earlier, an assistant sub-inspector of police, Govind Singh, was suspended in connection with the case.Araria SP Dhurat Sayali Sablaram said since some sections were non-bailable, the question of granting bail to the accused doesn’t arise.
The matter snowballed into a major controversy when a video showing Tatma doing sit-ups and falling on the feet of the DAO went viral on the social media on Monday.
State agriculture minister Prem Kumar had asked senior officers of the department to issue a show cause notice to the DAO. A joint director of agriculture department posted in Purnia was asked to submit a detailed report on the incident. In addition, the state government had sought a separate report from Araria DM Prashant Kumar CH.
The DM said he has already sent his report to the state government. “It’s up to the government now to initiate further action,” he said.
SHO of Araria town police station Kundan Kumar said the accused have been booked under sections 353, 355, 500, 504, 506 of IPC and section 51 of National Disaster Act.
Meanwhile, DGP Gupteshwar Pandey reiterated that nobody in the state administration would be allowed to repeat such acts in future. “Our personnel are fighting coronavirus risking their lives. Being the ‘mukhiya’ (head) of the state police force, it’s my responsibility to take care of their health and dignity,” he said.