Alipurduar DM suspended for kicking youth accused of harassing his wife

KOLKATA: The District Magistrate in West Bengal's Alipurduar, Nikhil Nirmal, was suspended for hitting a youth accused of sexually harassing his wife on Facebook. The incident took place at Falakata police station in the district.

The issue came to light after Nirmal's wife Nandini Krishnan filed an FIR against Binod Kumar Sarkar for allegedly making lewd comments on Facebook to Krishnan. Soon after the incident came to light, police picked up the accused youth. A video went viral on social media showing Nirmal and his wife slapping and kicking the accused. 

North Bengal divisional commissioner Barun Kumar Roy told mediapersons that the Additional Divisional Manager will shoulder the responsibility of the District Manager till further notice. 

However, soon after her husband's suspension, Nandini came out in support of his husband and wrote that she did not care if her husband was removed from post but she was proud of what he did for her. 

The translation of her message in Hindi reads, "It doesn''t matter if my husband is removed from the post but I am really proud of what he did for his wife and children, whom he had pledged to protect when he married me. What you saw in the video is just a part of the reality. Yes, my husband slapped and kicked him but others would have killed him if their wife was sexually harassed like I was. Doesn't matter what the hypocritical society says. I would protect you till my death. I am proud of you."

Nirmal is a 2011 batch IAS officer and both hail from Ernakulam in Kerala. The couple have been living in Alipurduar with their two children.