Chhattisgarh: SP orders probe into 'Panchayat moment' at I-Day event

A video of the Independence Day celebration in Chhattisgarh's Mungeli district, showing a pigeon released by a police officer failing to fly off, has gone viral, prompting the officer to demand action against those responsible.

Some social media users promptly noticed that a similar situation unfolds in season 3 of popular web series Panchayat.

During the function, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former minister Punnulal Mohle who was the chief guest, Mungeli Collector Rahul Deo, and Superintendent of Police Girija Shankar Jaiswal were handed pigeons to release, signifying peace and freedom.

The birds released by the MLA and the collector successfully flew off. However, when the SP released the pigeon, it fell to the ground.

Social media user Sachin Gupta shared the video on his 'X' handle and wrote, 'Panchayat-3 was repeated in Chhattisgarh. SP sahab released pigeons on Independence Day. His pigeon fell down instead of flying. Watch the video.'

Official sources on Tuesday said the SP wrote a letter to the collector, seeking disciplinary action.

'During a major national festival like Independence Day, the incident of a pigeon falling to the ground was prominently broadcast on social media and other media. This situation was created as a result of presenting a sick pigeon for flying in the main district-level programme. Had it happened at the hands of the chief guest of the function and honourable MLA, then the situation would have been more unpleasant,' the SP wrote in the letter.

'Certainly, the officer responsible for this work has not discharged his responsibility properly,' it said.

The bird is stated to be alive.