Hardoi: The Hardoi administration has ordered an inquiry after a video purportedly showing a revenue official asking a youth about his caste during a land measurement exercise and threatening him with action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act went viral on social media.
The incident was reported from Sakhaura village under Tadiyawan police station in Sadar tehsil, where a revenue team had gone to measure disputed land following an application by a Scheduled Caste beneficiary seeking possession and measurement of land allotted to him.
According to the allegations, the youth, identified as Gaurav Pandey, claimed rights over the disputed land and requested that the entire property be measured. During the interaction, lekhpal Alok Tripathi allegedly asked Pandey about his caste. After Pandey identified himself as a Brahmin, the caste of the other party was allegedly discussed. Pandey was then threatened with being implicated under the SC/ST Act after the other party was identified as belonging to a Scheduled Caste.
Pandey also alleged that trees, including mango trees, on the disputed land were removed during the proceedings and that part of the measurement was carried out in his absence. His family has sought action against the officials concerned and demanded a fresh and impartial assessment of the land dispute.
The video triggered reactions from several Brahmin organisations after it surfaced on social media on September 27. Posts on social media alleged that Brahmins were being targeted and raised concerns over the alleged misuse of provisions of the SC/ST Act.
Hardoi Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mayank Kundu said the revenue team had gone to the village to investigate the land dispute and conduct measurement. He said an overlap was found in the areas claimed by the two parties.
The SDM said some “inappropriate remarks” concerning the SC/ST Act were allegedly made by the lekhpal during the proceedings and termed the reported remarks “completely wrong”.
The administration has handed the matter to the Sadar Tehsildar and sought an inquiry report within two days. Officials said further legal and departmental action would be considered on the basis of the findings.
Tripathi, meanwhile, has denied threatening anyone or making the alleged remarks. He said he was present in the area with the Naib Tehsildar and had reached the spot after being informed that measurement of government-allotted land was being conducted in compliance with the District Magistrate’s order.
According to Tripathi, the dispute involved approximately 11 bighas of land, including around three-and-three-quarter bighas allotted to a Scheduled Caste beneficiary. He claimed that the beneficiary had been threatened and that he had asked both parties to avoid verbal confrontation and present their claims through documentary evidence.
Tripathi further said that possession was handed over according to rules and a boundary was established.
The administration has said that the Tehsildar’s inquiry report will determine the facts surrounding the viral video and the land measurement proceedings before any further action is taken.
