The incident gained media highlights when a viral video emerged on social media in which the ETAH police officials can be seen breaking down the door of a house and pulling out the advocate Rajendra Sharma on the street outside, beating him badly with kicks, sticks, and rifle butts and then dragging him several meters through the street.

Sharma had been publicly protesting for the past almost 6 weeks against a local BJP  leader’s alleged attempts to illegally encroach upon his property, but on 21st December, Sharma alleges, the said BJP leader and his supporters attacked his house in the form of a mob and when he tried to protect his life and property, shots were fired from the crowd. One of the shots hit Sharma’s son Varun in the hand. A few hours later, the local police allegedly broke open Sharma’s door and dragged him out of the house claiming that he had instigated a violent attack that resulted in a pedestrian getting shot.

The advocate was booked under section 307 IPC and SC/ST Act along with his son, daughter and several other family members and was not given bail on the first hearing despite the entire lawyer fraternity of Etah appearing in the court in his favour. Later, the local police officials claimed that Sharma had been arrested to prevent the breakdown of law and order as well as communal harmony in Etah district. The police also ordered an inquiry into ‘the alleged misbehavior’ with the lawyer, which was turned down by the local lawyers as a farce.