He said his shoes went missing during a church function, and the attendant was bringing them to him after someone had found them.
Published Dec 25, 2023 | 4:24 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 25, 2023 | 4:25 PM
Jaishankar Bhupalpally Collector Bhavesh Mishra and the controversial photograph. (Supplied)
An attendant carrying the footwear of the collector of the Jaishankar Bhupalpally district of Telangana was apparently blown out of context, resulting in a controversy.
Collector Bhavesh Mishra clarified on Monday, 25 December, that the attendant was bringing him the shoes that had gone missing in a church.
The 2015-batch IAS officer refuted reports that he had made the attendant, a government employee, carry his shoes.
Mishra said he had removed his shoes while attending a function at a church on Saturday. After the event, he could not find the footwear where he had left them.
“I want to make it clear that no official attendant was made to carry my shoes. I, too, was searching for them,” he told South First.
“On 23 December, I attended an event in a church and there was an award ceremony. I left my shoes and was barefooted for nearly 45-50 minutes since it was a traditional celebration,” he explained.
“I also had lunch there, and I could not find the shoes while I was leaving after the programme. Even as I was searching, someone found them and gave them to my attendant. He was coming to me with the shoes when someone clicked his photographs and they went viral,” Mishra stated.
He said that he had clarified the incident to regional news channels on Sunday.
“Those unaware of the facts are still raising doubts. The context was different, we are humans and we should not misuse our powers. I understand that the photos may have misled many. I want to tell the public that there was no impropriety on my part,” he added.
The collector wished that the controversy would die following his clarification.
