The Tripura Government has suspended Tripura West District Magistrate Shailesh Kumar Yadav after videos of him thrashing guests, the purohit and the hosts at a wedding went viral on the internet. The order comes after he was made to appear before a panel of two senior IAS officers and offer an explanation regarding his actions.
“It is my duty to enforce law and order and to prevent the spread of Covid-19. I stand by whatever I did that night,” Shailesh Kumar Yadav had told the committee that was formed by Chief Minister Biplab Deb over the matter. Yadav had also sought to be relieved of his duties himself for the sake of a free and impartial investigation into the incident.
“…In the interest of an impartial enquiry, I request for relinquishment of my charge as DM (district magistrate) & Collector West Tripura District”, he had written to Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar on Sunday. Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that the request had been accepted.
A number of BJP MLAs had called for Yadav’s suspension. BJP MP Pratima Bhowmik had even said that she would meet the bride’s family who were harassed.
There was great outrage on social media after videos went viral that showed the Tripura West DM abusing, threatening and thrashing people at a wedding after a raid. He had guests leave the wedding in the midst of a dinner.
Shailesh Kumar Yadav accused the guests of violating Covid-19 restrictions even though the hosts claimed that they had explicit permission from him regarding the same.
