Foreign media including the BBC reported on the 26th (local time) that a government official in India was suspended for draining water from a reservoir to find a smartphone that fell into the water.
India’s food inspector, Rajesh Bishworth, visited the Kerkata Reservoir in Chhattisgarh, central India, on the 21st. He dropped his Samsung smartphone into a reservoir while taking a selfie. This smartphone is a high-end product worth 1200 dollars (about 1.59 million Korean won).
At first, local divers were employed to find the smartphone underwater, but they were unsuccessful. Eventually he got a pump and started to drain the water.
After three days, he got his mobile phone back, but the smartphone was not working due to water damage.
He protested that sensitive government data is stored on the smartphone, so the smartphone needs to be found. However, he was suspended on charges of abuse of power.
He is known to have captured 2 million liters of water in three days. This is the amount that can supply 600 hectares of farmland.
“He will be banned until the investigation is finished,” said a local official. “Water is a vital resource and should not be wasted in this way.”
