Pilibhit: A clash broke out at 2 pm on Wednesday at the office of the sub divisional officer (SDO) of electricity here, which left many, including the SDO injured. Both sides levelled allegations of thrashing and loot against each other, based on which two FIRs were filed.While the SDO, RS Yadav, claimed that the lawyers looted departmental cash and destroyed documents and records, the latter insisted that the electricity department workers did it themselves to frame them in a false case of sabotage. The bone of contention was the power connection being cut at the residence of one of the lawyers, Sant Ram Rathaur on Tuesday.Speaking to TOI, Yadav said that Rathaur had unpaid electricity bills to the tune of Rs 76,000, due to which his electricity line was cut. “Annoyed with the departmental action, Rathaur barged into my office along with a group of lawyers and demanded how I dared disconnect his power line. With this, he slapped me,” said Yadav. He added, “My head clerk, Ajay Sabbarwal, computer operator, Anand Tiwari and other staff here rushed to my help on hearing the clamour but they were also beaten up. I don’t know the exact amount they looted from the office as I had to escape along with other workers to save our lives.”On the other hand, former president of joint bar association Ashwini Agnihotri said the matter related to arrears of electricity charges of Sant Ram Rauthaur, the president of central bar association, was pending with district consumer forum, which had also granted a stay order to Rauthaur against disconnection of his electricity connection. “The staff of the electricity department had been duly informed by Rauthaur about the stay order when it reached his place disconnect his electricity line but they didn’t listen,” Agnihotri said.“When Rauthaur approached the SDO to ask why the stay order was defied, he was abused by the SDO,” he added.“On getting the information, other lawyers rushed to the SDO’s office to rescue him. We found him lying unconscious on the floor of a room, which was locked from the outside. We had to break in to reach.”The SHO of Pilibhit Kotwali police station, SK Singh, said that based on the complaint filed by one of the lawyers Ashok Bharti, an FIR against the SDO, RS Yadav, Ajai Sabbarwal, Ravi Sani and other staff members of electricity department had been lodged under sections 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement), 307 (Attempt to murder), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504(Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 392 (Punishment for robbery), and 427 of IPC (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) apart from section 3 (1) of SC/ST act. Another FIR was lodged against Sant Ram Rauthaur and other lawyers on the complaint of SDO under section 307, 392, 323, 504 and 506 of IPC, the SHO said.

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