Family says assaulted after ‘diya jalao’ event

The PM had given a call to switch lights off at 9 pm for 9 minutes. (Representational Photo)

Three people have been arrested by Palwal Police for allegedly attacking a family with bricks, stones, iron rods, and sticks during the countrywide ‘diya jalao’ initiative Sunday evening. The complainant claimed that the accused, allegedly enraged that they had turned on their lights, barged into their house — even though it was well past 9 pm. The PM had given a call to switch lights off at 9 pm for 9 minutes.

In his complaint to police, Dhanpal, a resident of Pingore village in Palwal, says he was at home with his family of seven when ‘some antisocial elements’ barged into their home at 9.30 pm. They allegedly used casteist slurs before threatening to turn off all the lights of their house “even though the Prime Minister had given the time from 9 pm to 9.09 pm…which we followed”, the complaint states. “The antisocial elements… forced their way into my house, used caste slurs, and when we opposed, they beat us with sticks, bricks, stones, and iron rods, broke items, and looted our home,” alleged Dhanpal.