The IAS officer beat the reporter in public in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.
In one of the more incredible scenes to emerge from the local elections held in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was caught on camera chasing down a TV reporter in public and beating him viciously.
Divyanshu Patel, the Chief Development Officer or CDO of Unnao, is accused of attacking the television reporter because he was filmed by the latter allegedly helping kidnap local council members to stop them from voting.
The officer is yet to comment on the incident.
The video of the assault was shared widely on social media and triggered widespread condemnation.
"We just had a word with all the journalists. We have got a written complaint from the journalist who was attacked. I can assure you that fair action will be taken in the case," Unnao District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar told reporters.
The attack came on a day when clashes and violence in at least 17 districts of Uttar Pradesh marked the polling to elect block panchayat chiefs while the BJP claimed a "historic victory" and opposition parties including former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party alleged rigging and manipulation.
There were complaints from several parts of the state of the block council members who were supposed to vote in the polls of being prevented from voting.
"In the elections for Block Panchayat Chiefs, the BJP is winning more than 635 seats with its allies and supporters. This number will increase further after the final results are out," Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said at a news conference.
In one of the other videos of the violence, a senior police officer in the Etawah district was heard complaining to a senior that he was slapped by supporters of the BJP.