Local cable operator booked for damaging Airtel fibre network

The police on Tuesday registered a case against a local cable operator for allegedly stealing fibre-optic cables of telecom company Bharti Airtel and damaging its broadband infrastructure in the city

The police on Tuesday registered a case against a local cable operator for allegedly stealing fibre-optic cables of telecom company Bharti Airtel and damaging its broadband infrastructure in the city.

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Officials of Bharti Airtel, the complainant, alleged that a local cable operator in New Colony area of Old Gurugram is harassing their staff and damaging their infrastructure, inconveniencing customers.

The New Colony police have registered an FIR under Section 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code.

The company officials, in their complaint, alleged that they had started providing broadband services to Sector 7 since last March, following which the local cable operator had allegedly been threatening their staff and damaging the infrastructure. They said that complaints were filed last March and April, over a similar incident, wherein the underground fibre network was allegedly snapped at several points and their staff abused.

OP Galhotra, group director (security), Bharti Airtel, said, “We have shared all details with the authorities including CCTV footage and hope that these perpetrators will be brought to task. Sabotaging reliable internet connectivity at a time when it is most needed by customers in times of Covid-19 is most condemnable and also impacts the ease of doing business.”

KK Rao, commissioner of police, said that they have received several complaints from the company in the last few months. Due to lack of evidence, no case was registered. “In the recent case, residents have recorded videos where some people are seen damaging and stealing cables from different spots. People are more dependent on internet connectivity as they are operating from home and children have online classes. The cable operator was intentionally damaging the cables as he had suffered losses due to the connections provided by the company,” he said.

Residents said that the local cable operator had a monopoly till last March. “When Bharti Airtel laid cables, we immediately applied for the connection,” said Ravi Mahajan, a resident of New Colony, adding that the cable operator has threatened many residents of dire consequences as they have collected evidence against him.