Two youths allege police inaction despite complaints

LUDHIANA: Two youths of Mundia Khurd village have levelled allegations against the police of not taking action after repeated attacks on them by their neighbours after they complained against them for using ‘kundi’ connection (power theft).
Gagan Malhotra and Robin Kumar have also alleged that Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) officials too deliberately revealed their identity to the three neighbours who were involved in power theft. According to both of them, an attempt was made to attack them with bricks, which was also orchestrated on Thursday by their neighbours, including some women, but despite their repeated calls the police did not come to help them.
Narrating his ordeal to TOI, Gagan said, “Some of our neighbours have been stealing power for their homes in our area under the garb of using this power for streetlights. We complained about this loss of government revenue to chairman of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) on July 3 and 31. Following this, the chairman gave instructions to the local PSPCL officials, who swung into action and they snapped these connections. Some of the officials later disclosed our identity to the people indulging in power theft and ever since these people have started openly threatening us and also attacked us several times.”
He continued, “On Thursday also, several of our neighbours, including women, gathered outside my home with bricks and tried to attack us and despite our repeated calls to the police and even the police commissioner, we did not get any help. It was just by chance that after the crowd realised that I am recording the entire incident in my mobile phone that they left the spot.”
Meanwhile, contradicting Gagan’s claim, Bhupinder Deol, sarpanch of the area, said, “According to the residents of the area where the complainant lives the allegations of power theft for use of electricity in anyone’s home are false. In fact, the residents were using the power supply for lighting newly installed streetlights as for the past sometime they were fearing for their safety in absence of proper lighting in the streets. As of now, the incident of attack on Gagan and Robin is concerned, I am not aware about any such incident.”
Box – ‘Went twice to complainant’s home
According to sub-inspector Harbhajan Singh, incharge of, Mundia Kalan police chowki, “On Thursday, upon getting the call from the complainant, Gagan Malhotra, we went twice to his home. Later in the day, a compromise was reached between the complainants and their neighbours in the presence of the sarpanch Bhupinder Deol. The entire incident turned out to be a misunderstanding between both sides and it has been resolved now.”