Iron grills stolen from greenbelt fence in Gurugram’s Sector 29

GMDA officials said that such incidents of thefts had taken place at several locations in the city earlier too, even though the fences have anti-theft features. At several locations, GMDA contractors even wield sections of the fence for extra security and strength

Unidentified suspects were booked for allegedly stealing 32 iron grills that were installed by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) along the Leisure Valley Park in Sector 29, police said on Sunday.

Gurugram, India-March 05, 2023: GMDA has registered a case against unknown people in Sector-29 police station for stealing iron grill from Leisure Valley Park, in Gurugram, India, on Sunday, 05 March 2023. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go with Debashish Karmakar's story)

Police said the theft possibly took place on the intervening night of March 1 and March 2, adding that the grills were installed to protect the greenbelt and the thieves are yet to be traced.

The iron fence was part of a GMDA project that installed them across the city alongside green belts, roads, parks, medians, open sewerage and stormwater drainage systems to prevent encroachments or trespassing by humans or cattle, officials said.

The installation work had begun in 2021 with an aim to protect around 300kms of greenbelt but later the ambit of the project was increased, GMDA officials added.

GMDA officials said that such incidents of thefts had taken place at several locations in the city earlier too, even though the fences have anti-theft features. At several locations, GMDA contractors even wield sections of the fence for extra security and strength.

However, in the Sector 29 incident, investigators said that the entire stolen stretch of the fence was probably not fixed properly due to which it was uprooted easily.

Investigators suspect the thieves must have brought a pick-up van or a bigger vehicle to take away the iron grills as they are way too heavy to be carried manually.

Police said that the matter came to light on March 2, when some GMDA staff spotted the missing fence and reported the matter to the senior authorities after which the theft was communicated to the police with a request to increase the intensity of patrolling in the area.

On a complaint filed by the metropolitan green planner of GMDA’s urban environment wing, an FIR against unidentified suspects was registered under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code at DLF police station in Sector 29 on Saturday evening, said police.

The GMDA official alleged that miscreants gather around the Leisure Valley Park and they have also built unauthorised dwellings nearby.

Subhash Boken, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said an investigation was underway and the thieves will be arrested soon.

HT tried to contact GMDA’s additional chief executive officer (urban environment) Subhash Chander Yadav, but he did not respond to calls.