Bengal: IAS officer who beat up youth sent on leave; video had gone viral

The government has sent the district magistrate of Alipurduar, Bengal on leave. A video had surfaced on Sunday showing Nikhil Nirmal and his wife beating up a youth. 

The video had gone viral. 

Nirmal has been sent on leave till January 16. Additional District Magistrate (Dev) Chiranjb Ghosh will take additional charge of the DM's post till Nirmal returns. 

The video had shown Nirmal and his wife beating up the local youth inside the Falakata police station and in the presence of the station's inspector-in-charge Soumyajit Ray.

According to sources in the police, the youth had made some lewd comments on Nirmal’s wife’s Facebook profile. He was then reportedly summoned to the police station, after which Nirmal and his wife were seen beating him up.  

Nirmal is heard saying in the video: “I will not let you do anything against me in my district. I will enter your house and kill you.”

Nirmal’s wife is heard asking the youth, “At whose behest did you make such comments?”

While the youth can be heard pleading for mercy, the duo continue to beat him.

Interestingly, the entire episode unfolded at the police station without the district magistrate or his wife filing any official complaint against the youth. 

On the other hand, the youth, identified as Vinod Sarkar, who was arrested later, was granted bail by the local court on a personal bond of Rs 1,000.