Indian gov't punishes bureaucrat couple for closing national stadium to walk their dog

Two senior Indian bureaucrats posted in the national capital, Delhi, have been transferred to different corners of the country for misusing their official positions.

The action by India's Home Ministry was taken after a media report revealed that the government-run Thyagraj Stadium in Delhi was being closed earlier than usual so the officers could walk their dog in the sports complex.

One of the officers, named Sanjeev Khirwar, has been transferred to Ladakh while his wife, Rinku Dugga, has been sent to Arunachal Pradesh. The couple will now be working more than 3,400km (2,110 miles) apart. It is not known where the dog would go.

Khirwar was posted as Principal Secretary (Revenue) in Delhi, while his wife was serving as the secretary, land and building, in the Delhi government before being transferred.

The incident had attracted widespread outrage from social media users. The outrage eventually forced the government to take action against the couple. The Delhi government, led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, has now decided to keep the stadium open until 10 p.m. (IST).

"We used to train till 8-8.30 pm under lights earlier. But now, we are asked to leave the ground by 7 pm so that the officer can walk his dog on the ground. Our training and practise routine has been disrupted," a coach told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity.

However, Khirwar denied the claims, saying that he would never force an athlete to leave early and added that he visited the stadium only after it was supposed to close.

"I would never ask an athlete to leave the stadium that belongs to them," he told the publication. "Even if I visit, I go after the stadium is supposed to close...We don't leave him [the dog] on the track...when no one is around we leave him but never at the cost of any athlete. If it's something objectionable, I will stop it."

Thyagraj Stadium was built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and is a centrally located multi-discipline sporting complex. Athletes and footballers from across the country train at the facility for various national and international games.

The officers closing down the stadium early to walk their dog had disrupted their training schedules. The government action against the officers has brought much needed relief to the athletes who no longer have to cut their training time short.