Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi raps W Tripura DM's attitude in wedding raid on viral video

GUWAHATI: Reacting to the behaviour of the West Tripura district magistrate and collector Shailesh Kumar Yadav in a widely circulated video of a wedding venue raid in which he can be seen shoving the groom out of the hall and disrupting the wedding ceremony for COVID norms violation in Tripura, Congress leader from Assam Gaurav Gogoi said the behaviour of the DM was despicable.

He further stated that the families broke the rules, but the law should be enforced by government officials in an appreciable manner.

"The behaviour of the Tripura West DM in the circulated video is unbecoming. Yes, the family broke the law but government officers should enforce the law in a professional manner. Unfortunately, too many DMs come to NorthEast India thinking they are superior," Gogoi tweeted.

With a surge in COVID-19 cases, Tripura has imposed a night curfew in Agartala municipal areas since April 22.

Despite the COVID situation in the Northeast deteriorating, a Tripura family was forced to pay a price for celebrating a wedding on April 24 during the night curfew.

The viral video shows the DM allegedly push out the bridegroom, arresting everyone present, including the bride and groom's relatives, and tore up a written permission for the wedding signed by himself.

In the video Yadav can be heard as saying that anyone who assembled at the site was breaking prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and will be prosecuted. About 30 people were detained and later released.

Later, the opposition leader Manik Sarkar and the CPIM described the incident as "undesired" and "unfit" for a district magistrate, and sought proper action against the DM for his behaviour.

Yadav has, however, apologised for disrupting the wedding at Manikya Court, saying he didn't mean to "hurt anyone's feelings."