Mumbai, May 21 (IANS): After a shocking video purportedly showing a 'tehsildar' from Palghar Sunil Shinde attacking migrants waiting under the hot sun to collect their travel passes for home, the state revenue department has cracked the whip on the official.
"We have taken very serious note of this incident after verifying the contents of the video and other details. Strict action will be taken against the official concerned ," Revenue Minister Balasaeb Thorat told IANS.
The incident in the video which went viral today shows Shinde kicking and punching the migrants who were patiently waiting for their travel passes in the blistering summer heat.
Though the immediate provocation for the tehsildar's behaviour was not clear, some said he was probably upset at the huge crowds of migrants assembled near his office to get their papers.
Some of the desperate migrants pointed out that delays in getting the document would have resulted in them missing their trains back home for which they have been struggling for weeks.
Despite repeated attempts, the Palghar district authorities were not available for comment on the tehsildar's violent behaviour in full public view.
In another appalling development, an audio recording of a senior policeman from Tulinj in Palghar has gone viral in which he allegedly hurled choicest of abuses at some citizens demanding food for migrants who were hungry for two days.
Though the veracity of the audio clip has not yet been confirmed by the police department, it has gone viral eliciting strong responses from the citizens, many seeking action.