In what critics have described as a shocking misuse of authority, Guntur district collector I Samuel Anand Kumar was on Thursday found to be getting a doctor arrested when the latter questioned his view that doctors should be held responsible for the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

The District Collector ordered the arrest of Dr Somla Naik, a Primary Health Centre officer, under the Disaster Management Act when the latter objected to holding doctors responsible for the spike in cases.

In a video clip that is doing rounds on TV channels and the Internet, the Collector is heard saying that Dr. Naik can't dare to question him.

The doctor was detained for the whole day, after which he was let off.

Some of the provisions of the Disaster Management Act are said to be arbitrary and sweeping. Administrators can wield them at will and muzzle dissent.

Guntur district collector orders the arrest of Primary Health Centre officer Dr Somlu Naik under #DisasterManagementAct.
Naik objected to holding doctors responsible for increase in #Covid_19 cases.
The collector grew angry saying, "how dare you say to me " Who are you? ". pic.twitter.com/P3z9SChKa3

— P Pavan (@pavanmirror) September 10, 2020