Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Friday suspended Sukinda Tehsildar Bulbul Behera, who was seen dancing without a mask and throwing social distancing norms to the wind during the wedding procession of her brother at Jagatsinghpur on May 21 evening, official sources said.
Notably, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on June 7 had directed the Jagasinghpur Collector to act on a petition alleging the state bureaucrat had violated COVID guidelines.
A video of the wedding function, which went viral, also showed the guests dancing mostly without wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. The procession was taken out at night with more than permissible limits, Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist, Radhakanta Tripathy, had alleged in his petition.
The activist had urged the NHRC to arrest the persons flouting the COVID guidelines and ensure a fair trial of the case, besides legal action against the local magistrate (in-charge of COVID protocol), police and the sarpanch, who allowed the violation of guidelines at night.
Notably, Tirtol police on May 24 had registered a case against the tehsildar under Sections 188, 269, 270 and 34 of the IPC, Section 3 of ED Act, and Section 51 of Disaster Management Act on the basis of a complaint lodged by local sarpanch Silarani Khandual.
Collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore had said also that he would seek an explanation from her after she resumes duty. “No one will be spared for violating the guidelines especially when the state is witnessing a surge in cases,” he added.
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