Stir over water turns violent, 7 cops hurt
At least 16 people were arrested on Tuesday morning after violent protests broke out in an east Delhi locality over shortage of water supply in the area. Seven police personnel were also injured in the incident.
The police officials said hundreds of disgruntled residents of Rajbir Colony Block A of Kondli village in New Ashok Nagar took to the streets and blocked the traffic on Tuesday morning. The protesters started shouting slogans against the Delhi government and Delhi Jal Board alleging negligence on their part to deal with the water crisis, which has affected the normal lives of the residents. The police said the protests soon turned violent and the people started pelting stones at the vehicles. The area has been facing severe shortage of water supply allegedly from the past 10 days.
A police team was rushed to the area to handle the situation but it was faced with a stone pelting mob, which became more aggressive and started damaging public property.
“Seven policemen sustained injuries in the incident. We were compelled to use force to disperse the agitators who had blocked Kondli bridge. The protesters also tried to torch vehicles and two DTC and two Blueline buses, along with two motorcycles were damaged in the mob fury,” a senior police official said. The officials said that some protesters also looted vegetables and fruits from the vendors in the area and threw stones at locals of the area.
The locals of the area claimed that they had complained to the authorities about the shortage of water supply to the area but no action was taken. “We have been facing severe water crisis from the last 10 days. When we approached DJB authorities, they promised that the supply will be restored. But that never happened. Even the water tankers haven’t been deployed here. We were left with no option but to protest,” a protester said.
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