Brigadier, son assaulted in southwest Delhi after objecting to drinking in car; cop suspended
New Delhi (PTI): An Army brigadier and his son were allegedly assaulted, while his wife was threatened by a group of men in southwest Delhi after the officer objected to two people consuming alcohol inside a parked car near their house, police said on Monday.
The incident took place on Saturday night when two men sitting inside a high-end luxury vehicle were drinking liquor outside the officer's residence in the Vasant Enclave area.
When the brigadier objected, a group of men gathered at the spot, assaulted him and his son, and threatened his wife.
Taking cognisance of the matter, Delhi Police has registered an FIR and initiated an inquiry.
"We have registered an FIR. The accused persons are being traced. During preliminary enquiry, a lapse was found on the part of the inspector/investigation, and he has been sent to district lines," police said in a statement.
The Indian Army has also taken cognisance of the incident.
"The authorities in the Indian Army have taken serious cognisance of the case. A Military Police team has been directed to assist the officer. Delhi Police has been approached for expeditious investigation and action on priority," it read.
Several videos of the incident, recorded by family members, have surfaced on social media, showing two men inside a car holding a liquor bottle.
Speaking to media persons, the brigadier's son, Tejas Singh Arora, said, "On Saturday night, after dinner, my father, Brigadier PS Arora, and I were out for a walk. We saw two men inside a luxury car openly drinking and smoking."
He said that they politely asked the men to move elsewhere, as it was a residential area and public drinking was inappropriate.
"The moment we requested them to leave, they became hostile and dared us to call anyone. My father then asked me to call the police control room," he said.
Arora alleged that when police personnel arrived, they refused to record their complaint. Instead, one of the men spoke to the officer over the phone, after which the officer told them he would deal with the matter later.
"Soon after, seven to eight men arrived in two vehicles and started thrashing us and abusing my mother. They were associates of the accused," he claimed.
He told the reporters that he was repeatedly assaulted for around 15 minutes in the presence of police personnel.
"Five to six men kept beating me continuously, while my father was also surrounded. We had called the police, but they did not intervene," he alleged.
Tejas sustained injuries to his face, neck and palm. He alleged that the responding officer remained inside his vehicle and did not offer any assistance.
The brigadier's wife also alleged that the officer present at the spot refused to intervene despite her requests.
"The officer did not step in as the men continued assaulting my son. When I pleaded for help, he said he could act only after his team arrived," she claimed.
She said that after the attackers left, the officer refused to take them to the police station and instead opened the boot of the vehicle.
"You are not the kind of people who deserve to sit on the seats," she quoted the officer as saying.
At the police station, the family claimed they faced further harassment.
"They kept us waiting for about half an hour. A woman officer told us they did not have 'free time' as we had called the PCR multiple times. When my husband said we were both in uniform and deserved basic respect, she became aggressive," the brigadier's wife told the reporters.
She also claimed that despite her son bleeding, the police insisted on an MLC report before registering the complaint and did not provide a vehicle to take them to the hospital.
"Eventually, my husband took our son to the Army Hospital himself for treatment and X-rays," she alleged.
A Submariner Veteran GeoStrategy Entrepreneur Environmentalist, Ashok Bijalwan, posted the entire matter on his social media handle X.
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Fadnavis rides motorcycle to Vidhan Bhavan, says PM Modi asked only for 'small sacrifices'
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday rode a motorcycle to the Vidhan Bhavan here and later defended the Centre's austerity measures, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has only "asked people to make small sacrifices".
He also criticised the Opposition for creating "unnecessary controversy" over the matter, adding that questioning the PM's foreign visits - aimed at strategic alliances and economic benefits - was "sheer foolishness".
Fadnavis arrived at the Vidhan Bhavan in South Mumbai on a motorbike from his residence 'Varsha', with BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar accompanying him, to attend the swearing-in of new members of the legislative council.
The move comes as part of the measures after PM Modi's appeal to conserve fuel and foreign exchange in view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted global energy supplies. India relies heavily on West Asia for crude oil and gas imports.
On Wednesday, CM Fadnavis announced a series of austerity measures, including halving the number of vehicles in the convoys of his cabinet colleagues, and cancelling foreign tours of ministers and officials.
Addressing reporters here on Thursday, Fadnavis said the state government had curtailed convoys, cancelled avoidable foreign tours and decided against holding large government events for the next six months.
Targeting the Opposition, the CM said similar austerity measures had been adopted by previous governments, including during the tenures of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao, as well as by former finance minister P Chidambaram in 2012.
"The Opposition needs to show some maturity. Countries across the world have taken even tougher decisions. The prime minister has only asked people to make small sacrifices while himself taking very tough decisions. Creating unnecessary controversy over this is not appropriate," he said.
Fadnavis said he travelled by motorcycle to send a message on fuel conservation, adding that symbolic actions by political leaders help spread awareness among people.
"When leaders act symbolically in this manner, the message reaches the people. That is why I came here on a motorcycle," he stressed.
The chief minister said all unnecessary foreign visits by officials and ministers had been stopped, and efforts were underway to reduce fuel consumption and save foreign exchange.
"We have reduced our convoys. Wherever petrol and diesel can be saved, wherever foreign exchange can be conserved, we are making every possible effort," he said.
Fadnavis said a major government event scheduled in Satara on Friday would, however, go ahead as it was planned in advance and expenditure had already been incurred.
He said around 25 lakh families would receive benefits valued at Rs 10,000 crore under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana during the programme.
"After this event, however, no large government programmes will be organised over the next six months," he added.
The CM also dismissed criticism on social media over PM Modi's foreign visits, saying overseas trips aimed at strategic alliances and economic gains for the country should not be equated with avoidable travel.
"The appeal is only against unnecessary foreign travel. It does not mean businessmen should cancel important overseas deals. Criticising the prime minister's foreign visits is sheer foolishness," he said.
