Bihar: Official tries to hit lawyer with shoe in SDO's chamber

PATNA: A senior state government official who was entrusted with the task of settling the disputes of the villagers has been allegedly caught on camera hurling abuses at an advocate and trying to assault him with his shoe in the official chamber of a local sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Sitamarhi district.
Taking the matter seriously, the Sitamarhi district magistrate ordered an investigation into it on Thursday.
Pupri sub-divisional officer (SDO) Navin Kumar was holding a court in his official chamber on Tuesday to settle the lingering land dispute cases in the presence of deputy collector land reforms (DCLR) Lalit Kumar Singh. The aggrieved lawyer, Sushil Kumar Chaudhary, was also present.
Even as the case was being heard, the lawyer accused the DCLR of refusing to settle the dispute despite taking bribes which left the official furious.
A video of the incident which has gone viral on social media shows exchange of heated words between the two.
Waiting for probe report: Sitamarhi DM
The DCLR is also seen in the video taking off shoe and menacingly rushing towards the lawyer in a bid to assault him as the SDO overpowers him.
"Don't shout at me. I won't tolerate your abusive languages. Keep within your limit or be ready to face serious consequences," the lawyer yells as the official is heard using abusive language targeting his rival. "How dare you speak against an official? I will implicate you in a case," the DCLR is heard threatening the lawyer.
It was after much effort by the SDO that the situation could be brought under control, but the video of the whole episode which has now gone viral on social media has brought much embarrassment to the state government.
"The advocate was putting pressure on the DCLR to settle the dispute in his favour, but the latter refused which led to the ugly situation," the SDO told TOI over phone on Thursday. According to him, the lawyer in question had been indulging in buying litigated properties and putting pressure on the officials to transfer their title to his name. "Yet what happened in my official chamber was certainly not fair," the SDO added.
Sitamarhi DM Manesh Kumar Meena said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident and action would be taken after the probe report comes.