The man’s mobile phone got damaged during the misbehaviour by the collector (File)

Raipur:

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday directed that a new mobile phone as a compensation will be provided to the man, whose mobile got damaged during misbehaviour by the collector.

This comes a day after social media videos of Surajpur District Collector Ranbir Sharma emerged where he was seen slapping a man and throwing away his phone.

“Chief Minister @bhupeshbaghel has instructed that a new mobile phone should be made available to the youth in Surajpur as a compensation for the damaged mobile of the young man during misbehavior with the Collector,” tweeted the CMO.

मुख्यमंत्री @bhupeshbaghel जी ने निर्देश दिए हैं कि सूरजपुर में कलेक्टर द्वारा नवयुवक के साथ दुर्व्यवहार के दौरान नवयुवक के क्षतिग्रस्त मोबाइल की प्रतिपूर्ति के रूप में उस नवयुवक को नया मोबाइल फोन उपलब्ध कराया जाए।

— CMO Chhattisgarh (@ChhattisgarhCMO) May 23, 2021

Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh IAS Association on Sunday said that this kind of behaviour from a senior officer like him is not acceptable and advised him to compensate for the man’s phone from his personal income.

“A senior officer should not behave like this. One can always take appropriate action against any person whose behaviour is not Covid appropriate but this kind of behaviour is not acceptable. Sharma should compensate for his phone from his personal income,” said CK Khaitan, President, Chhattisgarh IAS Association, in a statement issued today.

Mr Khaitan said that Mr Sharma has already apologised for the “unfortunate incident that happened yesterday”.

“He can also speak to the parents of the boy and explain. The person in the video is not a minor,” he clarified further.

In videos circulating on social media, the District Collector Ranbir Sharma is seen slapping a man who attempts to show him a piece of paper and explain why he was outside during the lockdown. The collector then throws the man’s phone on the road and ask accompanying policemen to hit him. Mr Sharma is heard saying in the videos “maaro ise” (beat him).

The Surajpur collector later explained that the man in the viral video had lied to officials that he was on vacation and there was no proper documentation to justify his claim and the person also misbehaved with officials.

He issued a public apology for his outburst stating that his intention was never to disrespect anybody.

The man in the videos has been charged under the Epidemic Diseases Act for violating COVID-19 norms.