Gujarat farmers booked for water theft

The Gujarat police have registered an FIR against six farmers for allegedly stealing water in the Surendranagar district. Police said that the FIR was filed after it was found that the farmers were drawing water illegally from the pipeline meant for providing drinking water to the Saurashtra region.

The FIR was registered with Muli police station on Wednesday based on a complaint filed by Jaypal Barad, an employee of Dharati Engineers, a private firm which has the contract of managing and repairing the pipeline. The firm has stated in the complaint that the pipeline supplies drinking water to 1,200 villages in Surendranagar, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts.

Barad has listed six dates from September 2022 to October 2022 during which his teams found that the accused farmers were stealing water by making an underground illegal connection and breaking the pipes. The FIR alleges that the farmers and those who are occupying the farm were involved in the theft. The company has given "evidence" in form of pictures to prove water was being illegally drawn from the pipeline for the purpose of irrigation.

Savji Talpada, Bhikhabhai Chuvaniya, Lavji Harijan, Alabhai Rabari, Gautambenn Talpada and Dashrathsinh Julubhai, all residents of Khatadi, Muli and Tikar villages, have been charged under section 3 of the prevention of damages of public property act and section 430 of Indian Penal Code.

When contacted, the sub-inspector of Muli police station H G Gohil told DH, "We are doing the panchnama to ascertain the offence and take further action." He also added that several farmers had been arrested for similar offences in the past too.