Incident Overview

A video capturing a disturbing incident involving a government official and a student during an exam in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district has gone viral. The footage, dated April 1, shows Sanjeev Srivastava, the district magistrate of Bhind, repeatedly slapping a student during a BSc 2nd year Mathematics exam at Deendayal Dangraulia Mahavidyalaya.

Details of the Incident

In the video, Mr. Srivastava is seen confronting the student, Rohit Rathore, with a paper in hand. He drags Rathore out of his chair and slaps him multiple times. Subsequently, Mr. Srivastava escorts the student to what appears to be a staff room, where he hands over the paper to another individual while pointing at Rathore. The officer then questions Rathore about his paper, slapping him twice more.

Student’s Allegations and Official’s Defense

Rohit Rathore claims that the physical assault affected his ear but felt powerless to protest due to Mr. Srivastava’s authoritative position as an IAS officer. In response to the backlash, Mr. Srivastava defended his actions in an exclusive interview with NDTV. He stated that he was investigating reports of mass cheating at the college, alleging that students were smuggling question papers out to get them solved externally before bringing them back.

Background and Reactions

The college where the incident occurred is owned by Narayan Dangraulia, father-in-law of Hemant Katare, deputy leader of the opposition in Madhya Pradesh. This incident is not Mr. Srivastava’s first controversy; he was recently criticized by the Gwalior bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court for his conduct in a separate case related to the Public Works Department.

Further Allegations Against Srivastava

Adding to Mr. Srivastava’s troubles, Tehsildar Mala Sharma has accused him and SDM Parag Jain of mental harassment in a letter to the Chief Minister. She expressed concerns for her safety and held them responsible should any harm come to her.