Gwalior district collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh issued the warning during a meeting.
Angry over a missed COVID-19 vaccination target, Gwalior district collector in Madhya Pradesh told employees that they will be "hanged" if they fail to take enough efforts to complete the process.
Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, during a meeting of employees of Bhitarwar tehsil of the Gwalior district on Tuesday, came to know that the COVID-19 vaccination target was not achieved.
He said, "There shouldn't be a delay of even a single day (in vaccination). If it happens, 'phasi pe tang dunga' (will hang you). No one should be left out of vaccination coverage. Go and request people, go to agricultural fields, prostrate before people, sit in their houses for 24 hours, urge them. I don't bother, I want full vaccination," he said.
A video clip of the meeting has been widely shared on the internet.
When reporters asked the collector about his remarks, Mr Singh said he had warned officials of suspension and termination of services if the vaccination target is not completed within two days.
The Madhya Pradesh government, like the centre, has set the target of vaccinating the eligible population till December-end.
A total of 9,50,21,120 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered so far in MP, including 2,39,624 on Tuesday, as per an official release.