Tehsildar grabs farmer’s collar, hurls abuse in Mauganj:Collector seeks detailed report of incident; opposing side protested during possession process

A tehsildar, BK Patel, clashed with farmer while facilitating possession following a court decision in a land dispute between two families in Mauganj district. The opposing party resisted proceedings, leading to a heated confrontation where the officer grabbed the farmer’s collar and hurled abuses. Naib Tehsildar Umakant Sharma, present at the scene, said the incident arose due to a misunderstanding. As per the information, the incident occurred on September 25 at Ganigama village of Devtalab Sub-Tehsil. The clip of the incident surfaced on September 27. At the time of incident, Naib Tehsildar Umakant Sharma was also present with him. He said that the Tehsildar had a misunderstanding. That’s why this situation arose. Collector demands detailed report Immediately Collector Sanjay Kumar stated that Tehsildar BK Patel reported being threatened by locals wielding iron rods, prompting him to act in self-defence. The Collector added that the officer’s actions prevented a potential law and order situation from escalating. Investigation assigned to ADM for review The investigation has been handed over to the Additional District Magistrate, who has been instructed to submit a detailed report by 12 pm on September 28. Long pending land dispute A long-pending land dispute between two Prajapati families in Ganigama village turned tense during the possession process. The case, which was awaiting the court’s verdict, saw administrative officials arrive to enforce the court order. Tehsildar scuffles with farmer During the possession handover, Tehsildar Birendra Patel reportedly lost his temper and grabbed local farmer Sushmesh Pandey by the collar, leading to a scuffle. Witnesses say he also said, “Who are you? Don’t talk nonsense.” Another farmer, Kaushalesh Prajapati, alleged that the Tehsildar used abusive language during the incident. Tehsildar denies misconduct, claims video edited Responding to the viral video, Tehsildar BK Patel claimed that the footage circulating on social media is misleading and has been wrongly edited. He emphasised that the dispute was a civil court matter, and the administration was simply carrying out the court’s orders. Naib Tehsildar Devtalab Umakant Mishra stated that officials went to Mauganj on September 25 to comply with civil court orders. The proceedings involved a possession handover between two Prajapati parties, supervised by Tehsildar BK Patel, Laur police station TI, and the civil court nazir. Documents refusal sparks tension among parties When officials requested necessary documents from both sides, the opposition party failed to provide them. Their refusal led to anger and obstruction of the government-mandated work. Authorities struggle due to limited police presence The opposition party also used abusive language, escalating tensions. Due to a limited police force on-site, officials managed to resolve the situation through explanations, ultimately pacifying the matter. Tehsildar posted in home district sparks concerns The Prajapati family has raised objections over the posting of Tehsildar Patel in his home district. They claim that Patel is originally from Mauganj, and according to administrative rules, officers should not be posted in their home districts to ensure impartiality. The tehsildar’s entire family resides in Ward Number 6 of Naigarhi, where his four brothers live. Previous controversies haunt Tehsildar Patel Tehsildar Patel has been involved in multiple controversies during his career. In the past, he was accused of misbehaving with advocates and providing incorrect information under RTI requests. On one occasion, he reportedly wrote that lawyers are “not citizens of India,” prompting the local bar association to submit a memorandum to the Mauganj Collector. Calls for review of posting decision Following these allegations and past controversies, locals and affected families are demanding that the administration reconsider Patel’s posting to maintain fairness and transparency in governance.