Tripura DM hijacks COVID-safe wedding; high-handed action calling groom 'idiot' sparks row

In a shocking incident, West Tripura's district magistrate (DM) Sailesh Kumar Yadav coerced a wedding to be halted despite all COVID safety protocols being followed and threatened to arrest the groom and his kin for organising the wedding amid the pandemic. In a video of the incident which has gone viral on social media, the DM can be seen barging into the wedding venue at Agartala along with policemen whom he orders to drive other guests out of the venue and threatened to arrest the groom. District Magistrate Sailesh Kumar Yadav can be heard asking the guests to 'get out' while he calls the groom 'idiot'. 

IAS officer threatens groom, kin despite adherence to COVID norms

The DM claimed that the family had 'violated the government order' on COVID norms and is also seen nudging a policeman to arrest the groom, saying 'put him behind bars'. The DM then pulls the groom by his hand and forces him to reveal his name following which he brings the latter in front of the camera, for what looked like a photo op, while he pushed another man by his neck and claimed that he had to be arrested for 'obstructing public duty'. While a lady attempted to explain to the DM, the bureaucrat continued to parrot 'you will also be arrested' while he also reportedly tore the permission order received for the wedding. 

The bureaucrat apologised for his 'actions' after the incident drew flak from political leaders, other bureaucrats and certain quarters of social media. "I apologise if any individual or group is pained by last night's action. But what was done last night was only for the benefit and well-being of people. My aim was not to pain or humiliate anyone," Yadav said in Hindi to reporters on Tuesday.

5 MLAs demand DM's suspension

Meanwhile, five Tripura MLAs addressed a letter to the Chief Secretary over DM Yadav's 'boorish behaviour' and noted that the DM had torn the permission letter in spite of COVID protocols being followed at the venue. Further, the letter noted that the DM had manhandled the officer-in-charge of the West Agartala police station and had threatened to have him suspended. The letter alleged that the family members & guests were taken to the police station following the incident and were released after being detained for a while. The MLAs sought an investigation in DM Yadav's actions and demanded his suspension from service. The chairman of Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, who is also the owner of the wedding venue, described the incident as "most unfortunate and regrettable" and demanded an inquiry into it.