Students spar with locals over rent, electricity dues in north Delhi’s Timarpur

The alleged attack resulted in tensions between students and local residents, forcing the deployment of police personnel in the neighbourhood.

A dispute over rent left an 18-year-old student injured in his head and neck after he was allegedly attacked by a local resident of north Delhi’s Timarpur on Friday evening.

The fight erupted over alleged non-payment of electricity dues by a tenant. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The alleged attack resulted in a confrontation and tensions between students and local residents soon after, forcing the deployment of police force in the neighbourhood.

Nupur Prasad, deputy commissioner of police (north), said the situation in the neighbourhood was peaceful on Saturday and meetings would soon be organised between the two groups to end the animosity.

Prasad denied reports that several students were injured in the incident, insisting that only one of them appeared for medical examination. She said a case of wrongful restraint and causing hurt has been registered against the suspect.

The injured man, Shivam Pandey, is a tenant in Timarpur’s Nehru Vihar, where he has been preparing for competitive exams. According to his complaint, he was discussing the rent with his landlord when a neighbour, Praveen Talwar, allegedly began abusing him for not paying the electricity bill.

According to the DCP, the suspect is the man who helped Pandey find the house and was in charge of collecting rent and other charges.

The officer said students in the neighbourhood demanded that certain rules be set down for the landlords to avoid harassment. “We have promised to organise a meeting where the two groups can peacefully discuss the issue among themselves,” said the DCP.