A Chhattisgarh Congress office was burgled for the third time, with thieves stealing 73 taps and taunting police, raising concerns about local security.
Key Points
- Thieves burgled the Congress office in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh, stealing 73 water taps.
- The incident marks the third such theft at the Congress office in recent months, raising security concerns.
- A handwritten note reading 'I Love Ambikapur' was left at the scene, seemingly mocking the police.
- The Congress party has criticised the local administration, alleging a deterioration in public safety and ineffective policing.
The district Congress office here has apparently become a favourite spot for criminals, as unidentified thieves broke into the property for the third time in recent months and walked away with 73 water taps, in addition to leaving a handwritten note reading "I Love Ambikapur" on the dusty floor, seemingly to mock the police.
A party leader said on Monday that police have registered a case in this connection and are investigating it. The incident occurred during the intervening night of May 14 and 15 at the 'Rajiv Bhavan' located near Ghadi Chowk in Ambikapur, the headquarters of Surguja district.
Congress Office Theft Details
"The thieves entered the office premises from the rooftop and removed 73 taps installed in various washrooms. They also damaged several wash basins, commode flush systems and pipelines," district Congress president Balkrishna Pathak said.
In a video shared by the opposition party, the words "I LOVE AMBIKAPUR" could be seen scrawled by hand into the dust on a restroom floor.
Congress Leader Criticises Law Enforcement
"Such audacity by the thieves, who even left a message on the floor, is a direct challenge to law and order and police," Pathak alleged, claiming that drug addicts and anti-social elements active in the city could be behind the incident.
He said that the intruders uprooted the steel grill installed on the staircase but failed to take it away, leaving it on the upper floor of the building.
The Congress leader launched a scathing attack on the local administration, claiming that public safety has completely deteriorated and said that "night patrolling by police exists only on paper".
Allegations of Negligence
Pathak alleged that "not just common people, even offices of political parties are no longer safe. The police personnel are simply too busy handling VIP protocol duties."
The incident came to light when the office caretaker opened the premises on the morning of May 15 and informed party leaders, following which a police complaint was lodged, he said.
The Congress leader claimed the theft caused losses of more than Rs 80,000 and said this was the third theft incident at the Congress office in recent times, Pathak said.
A police official said a case has been registered against unidentified persons on the charges of house trespass and theft, and further investigation is underway.
No arrests have been made so far, he added.
