Lucknow, Feb 24 (IANS) Authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district Wednesday ordered an enquiry against a sub divisional magistrate (SDM) for allegedly slapping a government employee.

Ramesh Chandra, the SDM in Bijnor, about 400 km from Lucknow, Tuesday evening slapped Zia Ullah Khan, head clerk of the Municipal Board, for a delay in producing files and documents before him.

Following the incident, a large number of government employees of the Municipal Board there and other departments went on an indefinite strike, demanding action against the SDM.

Besides slapping the head clerk, the SDM also hurled abuses at those employees of the Municipal board, who came to rescue Khan.

'After slapping me, the SDM manhandled at least three of my colleagues, who came to help me. In full public view, he openly challenged me to get an enquiry initiated against him,' Khan told reporters in Bijnor.

According to Khan, the SDM, who had asked for some files and documents, lost his cool when he sought some more time from him for locating the files. 'The SDM held me with my collar and slapped me in front of the employees,' he added.

Meanwhile, the Bijnor district administration has asked the government employees to resume their work as an enquiry has been initiated against the SDM.

'The charges made against the SDM are serious and definitely need to be probed,' Additional District Magistrate S.P. Tiwari told reporters Wednesday in Bijnor.

'If the charges against the SDM are found true, necessary action would surely be taken against him,' he added.

Earlier, in January, the then district magistrate of Lucknow, Amit Ghosh repeatedly slapped a government employee during an inspection after he apparently did not respond to his queries on an indefinite strike call. Later, an enquiry was ordered against him.