A senior police official in Madhya Pradesh has been caught on camera brutally assaulting his wife in a video that’s being shared widely on social media. In the video dated September 27, Purshottam Sharma, the additional director-general (ADG) of police can be seen grabbing his wife and assaulting her at their home in Bhopal.
The video shows him pulling the woman, making her fall on the ground. He then sits down, still not letting go of her, while a man comes into the frame, presumably to stop him. Thumps are heard as Purushottam assaults his wife who is still on the ground. A dog can be seen barking in distress at the scene.
Purushottam is seen angrily questioning his wife, “You hit me with a scissor on my hand??” and cussing at his wife. She screams for the two other men in the frame to stop Purushottam and call the police when a man in a red shirt pulls Purushottam up from the ground, away from his wife.
Purushottam then points to his palm and tells the other men that she hit him with a knife, to which the woman replies that she hit him with a pair of scissors, and if he hits her, she would do it again.
In the video, towards the end, he also yells what sounds like, “It is my property!”
Trigger warning
Purshottam Sharma, Special DG, MP brutally assaults his wife
— Seema Choudhary (@Seems3r) September 28, 2020
It seems domestic violence rises with education & status in India!!!pic.twitter.com/yx9US5n7dB
On Monday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took cognizance of the incident, and tweeted that the body had written to Chief Minister Shivraj Shingh Chouhan to take “appropriate punishment” against Sharma for the abuse against his wife. “Such incidents send a wrong message to society.”
The Madhya Pradesh government meanwhile has transferred and divested Sharma of his duties. According to reports, a police complaint was filed by Sharma's son.
In a statement to the media, Purushottam said it is a “family dispute, not a crime.”
If my nature is abusive then she should've complained earlier. This is a family dispute, not a crime. I am neither a violent person nor a criminal. It is unfortunate that I have to go through this. My wife stalks me & has put cameras in the house: Additional DG Purshottam Sharma https://t.co/R58xF8daTD
— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2020
“We’ve been married for 32 years, in 2008 she had complained against me. But the point is, since 2008, she has been living in my house, enjoying all facilities and travelling abroad on my expenses,” he said. “I am neither a violent person nor a criminal.” He also alleged his wife had installed cameras in their home.