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This is an archive article published on January 23, 2024

SDM suspended in Madhya Pradesh after video shows youths who overtook his car being beaten up

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav says such inhuman treatment of common people will not be tolerated; FIR filed against SDM Amit Singh

SDM violence videoThe alleged incident took place on Monday, around 5 pm, when the vehicle the youths were travelling in overtook the official vehicle of the SDM. After intercepting the youths, three men got out of the SDM’s car.

A Sub Divisional Magistrate from Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district was suspended and is now facing a police investigation after he was accused of ordering that two youths who overtook his car be beaten up.

The alleged incident took place on Monday, around 5 pm, when the vehicle the youths were travelling in overtook the official vehicle of the SDM. After intercepting the youths, three men got out of the SDM’s car.

A purported nine-second video of the incident shows two vehicles – a Mahindra Scorpio with an SDM sticker on the rear window parked behind a Maruti Suzuki. The video purportedly shows two men hitting a man on his leg, at least twice, and also vandalising the car.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that SDM Amit Singh has been suspended, and that such inhuman treatment of common people will not be tolerated.

“The incident of assault on two youths by Bandhavgarh SDM is unfortunate. Instructions have been given to suspend the SDM. There is a good governance government in Madhya Pradesh. This kind of inhuman treatment of common people will not be tolerated at all in the state,” Yadav wrote on X.

An FIR has been registered against Amit Singh and three others for the assault. Both youths have been admitted to the district hospital.

Singh told The Indian Express that he did not order the assault and alleged that the youths were involved in drunk driving, which he tried to stop.

“We were on law and order duty. They were drunk. At the time, due to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, there were many festivals in the district and the youths were stopped from driving rashly. I reached there and saw that they were being assaulted,” he said.

Asked about the identity of the men assaulting the two, Singh said, “I was not present at the spot. I tried to stop them. I have a rod installed in my leg and could not have assaulted anyone. I am trying to file a counter-FIR. So far the police have not called me for questioning.”

One of the injured persons said, “They got out of a car with the SDM sticker pasted on it and kept hitting us. We overtook (the SDM’s car) but caused no damage. I sustained injuries to my head and hand after I was assaulted with a wooden stick by six people.”

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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