UP IAS officer does sit-ups on first day of posting over dirty Tehsil office: ‘It was my mistake’| Video

In a rare act of accountability, IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahi, newly appointed as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Puwaiyan tehsil in Uttar Pradesh, did sit-ups in public on his very first day in office, admitting his failure in ensuring cleanliness at the government premises.

According to news agency PTI, the incident took place on Tuesday during Mr Rahi’s inspection of the tehsil office. Disturbed by the sight of littered surroundings and people urinating in the open, the officer had initially made the offenders do sit-ups as a form of public correction.

However, a group of protesting lawyers, already on strike, highlighted the broader issue of poor sanitation at the government facility. They pointed to filthy toilets, stray animals roaming the premises, and overall neglect.

In a moment that has since gone viral, Mr Rahi responded by doing five sit-ups himself in front of the protesting group, holding his ears as a gesture of contrition.

Speaking to NDTV, Mr Rahi explained the rationale behind his action: “I explained that the act was meant to prevent repeat offences. They then pointed out that the tehsil premises were also dirty, the toilets were filthy, and stray animals roam around. They asked if I would do sit-ups for that, too? I said yes. Since it was my mistake, I accepted it and did sit-ups.”

A video clip of the moment shows the officer calmly engaging with the lawyers before proceeding to do the sit-ups amid the crowd. His actions drew mixed reactions online, with some praising his humility and others questioning the symbolism.

Mr Rahi also revealed that efforts had already been made to improve conditions. “The tehsildar informed me that the situation was even worse until about ten days ago and that he had managed to clean most of it up. Still, if issues remain, the responsibility is ours, and I accept it,” he said.

He added that he has encouraged citizens and staff to point out lapses so they can be addressed promptly.