Rinku Singh Rahi, a newly appointed IAS officer in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, made headlines on his very first day of duty after he did sit-ups in front of a group of protesting lawyers. Posted as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Rahi took this unusual step as a gesture of accountability during a tense situation at the tehsil premises.

A video showing the officer holding his ears and doing sit-ups has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread conversations and earning praise for his humility and leadership. The incident took place on Tuesday during an inspection of the tehsil compound. While checking the area, SDM Rahi noticed a lot of garbage scattered around and saw some people urinating in the open. Shocked by the lack of cleanliness and poor discipline, he immediately took action.

He asked those who were breaking rules, such as urinating in public or loitering without reason, to do sit-ups as a form of public punishment. He also mentioned that some school children were found wandering around the area without any purpose, and their parents were made to do sit-ups too, to make them more responsible. “I had already instructed people to use the toilets properly, but they continued to urinate outside. I had to take strict action to send a message, so I made them do sit-ups,” Rahi said.

However, one of the people asked to do sit-ups turned out to be a clerk working with the local lawyers. This angered the lawyers, and a group of them began protesting against the SDM’s actions. One of the lawyers, Virendra Kumar Yadav, said, “Our clerk was caught urinating, and the SDM made him do sit-ups. We asked him why he did that to our man.”

Instead of arguing or ignoring the protest, Rahi responded with an unexpected and humble gesture. He admitted that the premises were indeed dirty and said it was also the administration’s fault for not maintaining cleanliness. When the lawyers challenged him and asked if he would punish himself too, he calmly said yes, and did sit-ups in front of them.

"I joined today and saw someone defecating outside instead of using the toilet. I asked him not to do that, but he didn’t listen, so I made him do sit-ups. When I met the lawyers, they asked me if I would also take action against myself since the tehsil was dirty. I said yes, and I did sit-ups too," he explained. He further added, "An official told me that there was a lot of filth here 10 days ago, and it has been cleaned to some extent. But if the problem is still there, it means we didn’t do our job completely. So it’s also my mistake."

His gesture was seen as an act of humility and accountability. After his explanation and the sit-ups, the protesting lawyers calmed down and ended their strike. Rahi said he took this step not just to apologise but also to build trust and cooperation with the legal community. Many people on social media appreciated Rahi’s honest and down-to-earth approach. In a time when many officials avoid taking responsibility, his actions stood out as an example of how a public servant should lead, with humility, accountability, and the courage to admit mistakes.