<p>People were taken aback Sunday night when Parveen Kumar, from the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), resorted to the bizarre step to prove his innocence, witnesses said Monday.<br /><br />He was having encroachment removed in Sikanderpur area of Gurgaon when a group of villagers expressed their fury.<br /><br />Initially, the officer tried to appease them. But when they alleged that he had favoured a known builder, Kumar took out his shoe and hit himself on the head repeatedly.<br />All the time he kept saying that he had never taken any bribe, but he was punishing himself since people thought he was corrupt.<br /><br />The officer's action had a dramatic effect. People who were protesting the demolition drive rushed back to their homes.</p>.<p>The drive went on till Monday evening, overseen by the officer, who dozed off on the pavement when he felt sleepy.</p>.<p>Amid large security, the demolition squad pulled down several buildings including some major showrooms. </p>.<p>Kumar was earlier deputy commissioner in Faridabad where he carried out special drives for sanitation and against encroachment of public land. He registered more the 20 FIRs against corrupt officers. </p>
<p>People were taken aback Sunday night when Parveen Kumar, from the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), resorted to the bizarre step to prove his innocence, witnesses said Monday.<br /><br />He was having encroachment removed in Sikanderpur area of Gurgaon when a group of villagers expressed their fury.<br /><br />Initially, the officer tried to appease them. But when they alleged that he had favoured a known builder, Kumar took out his shoe and hit himself on the head repeatedly.<br />All the time he kept saying that he had never taken any bribe, but he was punishing himself since people thought he was corrupt.<br /><br />The officer's action had a dramatic effect. People who were protesting the demolition drive rushed back to their homes.</p>.<p>The drive went on till Monday evening, overseen by the officer, who dozed off on the pavement when he felt sleepy.</p>.<p>Amid large security, the demolition squad pulled down several buildings including some major showrooms. </p>.<p>Kumar was earlier deputy commissioner in Faridabad where he carried out special drives for sanitation and against encroachment of public land. He registered more the 20 FIRs against corrupt officers. </p>
