Vandalism of Delhi Jal Board office last yr: Cops file FIR against unknown persons

The DJB headquarters at Jhandewalan was vandalised after a group of close to 100 people entered the building around noon, breaking the glass door of the reception, and made their way to Chadha’s office.

After the incident, then DCP (Central district) Sanjay Bhatia had said, “We received information that a few BJP workers were protesting at DJB HQ. We detained around 30 men from the spot. Action will be taken as per law.”

The Indian Express accessed the FIR in connection with the incident, which shows it was registered on the basis of a police personnel’s complaint under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life).

“Police received information in the police control room after a PCR call that people were raising slogans after barging into the DJB complex. Head constable Bhuneshwar Singh and constable Arun, who were on emergency duty from 8 am to 8 pm, went to check the facts of the call but they have not found any complainant. There was police bandobast, but still some people were raising slogans against DJB and were standing closely,” the FIR states.

In the FIR, the complainant alleged people were violating social distancing norms and Covid could spread as a result. “They managed to escape after creating an atmosphere of ‘afra-tafri’. They violated norms of Covid-19, so appropriate legal action should be taken against them,” it states. No arrest has been made so far.

A day after the incident, Chadha had filed a police complaint alleging that the mob broke computers, printers and benches, attacked staff members and manhandled women employees.

Gupta had claimed: “I had gone there but officials didn’t meet me at first; some officials met me later. None of our workers were involved in the violence. We staged a peaceful demonstration outside the headquarters against the DJB’s Rs 25,000-core tanker scam, but AAP workers forcibly barged into the premises, vandalised the office and attacked BJP workers.”