​UP government removes Amethi DM Prashant Sharma for shoving slain BJP man's brother

AMETHI: UP government on Thursday removed Amethi DM for misbehaving with the brother of a slain Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker in the district.

A video of the district magistrate Prashant Sharma roughing up the brother of a slain BJP worker had gone viral on social media.

The DM had grabbed the collar of Sunil Singh - a PCS officer and cousin brother of the deceased.

People standing beside Sunil protested against the DM’s action, but he scolded them for stopping him.

In the two-and-half minute video, Sharma is seen shoving Sunil and lecturing protesters on not to over-react and seek instant results.

"Is zile ka sabse varishth adhikari yahan khada hai. Kya aapko pata hai us aadmi ke paas katta hai ke nahi? (The district's most senior officer is standing here. Can you show if that man has a firearm?" asks Sharma.

Amethi DM Prashant Sharma, a 2012 batch IAS officer, entered into a verbal duel with Sunil Singh, a PCS trainee officer, brother of BJP worker Vijay Kumar Singh alias Sonu, who was shot dead in Amethi on Tuesday over extortion.

Sunil was protesting against the delay in post-mortem and nabbing Sonu's killers.

Union minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday chided Amethi district magistrate on twitter for the act. Irani represents Amethi in Lok Sabha.

Irani tagged the DM in her tweet saying, "Vinaysheel evam samvedansheel banein hum, yahi prayaas hona chahiye. Janata ke hum sevak hain, shaasak nahi @DmAmethi. (We should always try to be humble and caring. We are here to serve people not to rule.)"

This was the second controversy involving Sharma in last one week. Sharma had come late for hearing before the Lucknbow bench of Allahabad high court.

Sonu Singh, owner of a brick kiln, was shot dead allegedly over extortion demand of Rs 2 lakh barely 500 m away from the SP's office in Amethi at around 7pm on Tuesday. Sonu's father Shivnayak Singh is also a local leader of BJP.