Thieves strike again, one more MP loses light bulb

Thieves continue to target official bungalows of Members of Parliament in Lutyens’ Delhi despite concern being voiced in the Lok Sabha over lack of security.

The latest victim is Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Prasad Sahu.

An FIR has been registered after a sodium-vapour lamp was stolen from the Congress leader’s house on Feroz Shah Road.

Earlier, on March 10, Kalyan Banerjee of the All India Trinamool Congress had raised the issue of security at MPs’ houses during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha.

He had highlighted several incidents of theft with burglars targeting Lutyens’ Delhi houses.

It came after party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s house on Maulana Azad Road was targeted twice in March.

In the latest incident, theft was reported from Sahu’s house on March 24. It was noticed by his domestic help Santosh.

In his statement, Santosh told police that he is responsible for switching off lights in the lawns and outside the house around 7.30 am.

“On March 24, Santosh was performing his duty when he found a sodium-vapour lamp missing from the main gate of the house,” said a police officer.

He also conducted a search in the area. On failing to recover the lamp, Santosh made a call to the police control room.

Sub-Inspector Rajesh Kumar and constable Rocky of Tilak Marg police station went to the spot and recorded Santosh’s statement.

Santosh told police that he suspected the theft took place after 10 pm on March 23.
On the basis of Santosh’s statement, a case under section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered with Tilak Marg police station.

In June 2014, the staff of Janata Dal-United Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Prasad had also approached police after two jackfruits were stolen from his Tughlaq Road bungalow.
At least, six MPs have also written to Delhi Police about repeated episodes of bulbs being stolen from their bungalows in Lutyens’ Delhi.

After being targeted, Bandyopadhyay had claimed that he feared a threat to his life and had even requested the government to change his accommodation.