According to police reports, the altercation unfolded when SDM Chhotu Lal Sharma, currently posted in Pratapgarh, stopped at a Bhilwara petrol pump with his wife, Deepika Vyas. What began as a routine refueling stop quickly turned into a scene of chaos. Sharma allegedly objected when a petrol pump attendant began serving another vehicle before his own, insisting his car should be attended to first.
The argument intensified when, according to Vyas’s formal complaint, one of the attendants “winked and made a lewd comment” toward her. Angered, Sharma confronted the worker, who then moved to refuel another customer’s vehicle. Witnesses reported that Sharma slapped the attendant — an act that provoked an immediate retaliation as another employee struck the officer back.
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A video of the confrontation, showing both sides exchanging blows and verbal abuses, soon went viral on social media. Within hours, police arrested three petrol pump staff members: Deepak Mali, Prabhu Lal Kumawat, and Raja Sharma.
The Wife’s Complaint and Police Response
In her handwritten complaint, Deepika Vyas accused the pump staff of harassment and indecency, demanding criminal charges against both the workers and the station owner. “The petrol pump owner too arrived at the scene and started hurling abuses at us. I demand a criminal case be registered against the petrol pump owner and workers, and the law should take its course,” she wrote in her signed statement dated October 21, 2025.
Police confirmed receiving the complaint and have registered cross-allegations from both sides. “We are reviewing CCTV footage, video clips shared online, and statements from witnesses,” a Bhilwara district police official said. Law enforcement sources added that both parties may face charges under sections related to assault and obscenity, depending on the findings.
A Familiar Figure in Administrative Circles
For many in Rajasthan’s bureaucratic circles, Sharma’s name is not unfamiliar. The officer, known for his assertive style, has previously been involved in minor disputes during his tenure. Local officials describe him as “strict but volatile,” often clashing with staff and traders in enforcement actions.
While supporters argue that Sharma was reacting to an act of provocation and misconduct, critics contend that the altercation highlights deeper questions of temperament and restraint expected of senior public servants. The incident has once again reignited debates on power dynamics between citizens and bureaucrats, especially in public settings where lines of authority blur.
Law, Power, and Public Perception
The Bhilwara incident has become emblematic of a broader unease about the behavior of officials in positions of power. As videos circulate online — some defending the SDM, others condemning his actions — the event has transcended local boundaries to become a flashpoint for conversations about accountability and dignity in public life.
Police continue to examine video evidence and collect statements as both sides maintain their versions of events. For now, the case remains under investigation, suspended between competing narratives: one of official dignity affronted, the other of power misused in anger.
What began as a brief stop at a petrol pump has now grown into a story about institutional conduct, personal honor, and the fragile boundaries of authority in a charged, public-facing democracy.
