MP: Two men assaulted in SDM's presence, officer denies role in incident caught on camera

Umaria (MP), Jan 22 (PTI) A video has surfaced on social media, purportedly showing two men being beaten up in the presence of a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) apparently for overtaking his vehicle in Madhya Pradesh's Umaria district on Monday.

SDM Amit Singh, posted at Bandhavgarh, however, gave a different version of the incident and denied the two were assaulted under his watch and said one of them was driving his car carelessly and was about to hit his government vehicle.

In the video, the men, surrounded by the SDM and others, could be seen being beaten up with sticks by a group of people.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

One of the victims, Prakash Dahiya, who sustained injuries on his head and other parts of the body, claimed people sitting in the vehicle written "SDM" on it got down and thrashed him and another car occupant Shivam Yadav, both residents of Bharola village, for overtaking.

They also broke the window panes of his car, Dahiya alleged.

On the other hand, SDM Singh said he was visiting areas under his jurisdiction in his vehicle as various programmes were organised on the occasion of the Ram Lalla idol consecration in Ayodhya.

He said the car in which the victims were sitting was coming at a fast speed and his driver somehow avoided a collision.

Singh said he got down from his vehicle after seeing the attack on the duo and tried to calm the situation.

The government functionary, however, denied people travelling in his vehicle were involved in the attack.

The police will take legal steps against those involved in the assault, Singh said. PTI COR ADU RSY