Ujjain: Civic workers thrash sick 72-year-old for defecating in open

Bhopal: A video showing an elderly man, visibly unwell, being subjected to inhuman treatment for defecating in the open by some local municipal employees in a Madhya Pradesh town has gone viral on social media.

The incident, which took place in district headquarters town of Ujjain, triggered a public outcry forcing the local administration to place three employees allegedly involved in the heinous act under suspension.

The clip showed 72-year-old Ganga Ram being thrashed by some “enthusiastic” employees of Ujjain Municipal Corporation for relieving in the open, who then forced him to clean the fecal matter with his hands.

The employees were apparently on a drive against open defecation in the town under Swachh Bharat Mission.

The elderly man was seen receiving blows from the insensitive municipal employees despite continuously pleading with them to spare him and telling them that he had to go in the open because he was unwell. “I had no option but to relieve in open due to sickness,” he can be heard saying. But his cries fell into deaf ears of municipal employees, who did not blink and kept on thrashing him.

“I was pleading with them with folded hands that I did not defecate in open deliberately, but out of compulsion due to my sickness. But they refused to show mercy on me and went on thrashing me” he later told reporters while narrating the incident on Friday. “Do you expect a person of my age will like to relieve in open without any inhibition?” he added.

Ujjain Municipal Corporation on Friday suspended three employees in connection with the incident. He has also ordered a probe into it.