Ujjain civic body begins inquiry after officer seen tasting crocodile meat in Thailand video

Rajkumar Rathore, a building officer with the Ujjain Municipal Corporation in Madhya Pradesh, has drawn attention over a video related to food in Thailand that is spreading widely on social media. In it, he is seen tasting crocodile meat with his wife. After the video surfaced, the corporation's administration has begun an inquiry into his foreign trip.

Rathore holds the post of building officer in the Ujjain Municipal Corporation and is reported to be currently in charge of Zones 1, 2 and 3. According to Municipal Commissioner Abhilash Mishra, Rathore took leave between October 19 and 23. However, his leave application is said to have made no mention of travelling abroad.

The matter began when a video shared from Rathore's wife's social media account went viral. The caption is reported to say that crocodile is being tasted for the first time in Thailand. The clip also shows scenes of dead crocodiles.

Questions raised after the video are not only about eating crocodile meat. People are also asking whether a government officer obtained the necessary permission before going abroad.

Under government service rules, employees concerned may be required to get approval from the competent authority before a foreign trip. The corporation administration will therefore now examine whether Rathore had sought such permission.

Commissioner Mishra has said the matter will be investigated. If the inquiry establishes a violation of rules, departmental action may be considered. Rathore's side has not yet come to light. It cannot therefore be said before the inquiry is complete that the allegations against him have been proved.