Delhi: Grievance against internet provider took violent turn in Shahdara

NEW DELHI: Bharat Bhati, the man who went on a stabbing spree on Wednesday, in the process injuring five policemen and a Home Guard, apparently came to the Shahdara police station to register a complaint against his broadband service providers.
While nothing happened at the police station that could have provoked Bhati into violence, his family claimed the 28-year-old had been suffering mental problems for some years, which was aggravated by his father’s death aboard a train last month.
Bhati has been booked for attempted murder and for obstructing a public servant in the discharge of duty.
The cops who interrogated Bhati told TOI that the man was angry about getting back only Rs 500 of the Rs 1,500 security deposit from the service provider when he got his broadband account disconnected. Meaning to file a complaint of fraud with police, he reached the police station, where the duty officer on the ground floor directed him to the third floor housing the cyber police station.
“When Bhati reached the third floor, the police personnel were attending to another victim of fraud who had shared his OTP with his duper. When the cops were telling the complainant that no OTP should ever be shared with another person and giving him advice on cyber safety, Bhati interjected to say police weren’t doing their work properly,” revealed an investigating officer. “Bhati also started recording a video to which the cops objected. He then launched an attack on them with a kitchen knife. Later, he attacked whoever came in his way before being overpowered.”
After restraining him, some police officers asked him why he was wielding a knife like that. “He gave no clear answers. From his behaviour, it was clear that he would have slashed at anybody who came in his way,” the investigator added. Two of the injured police personnel had to undergo surgery on Thursday.
At Bhati’s residence on 60-Foota Road in Balbir Nagar in east Delhi, his family was initially hesitant to talk to TOI. But they opened up to disclose that they felt the young man was mentally affected. Bhati lives in a joint family with his uncle, cousin and grandparents, having lost his mother decades ago and his father in a railway accident last month. He stays in a room on the third floor.
His cousin, Daksh Bhati, told TOI, “For 4-5 years now, after he dropped out of college, he has remained quiet and we think he is mentally disturbed. He has no friends and no one comes to meet him. After his father’s death in May, he was going through a hard time mentally. When leaving the house on Wednesday, he did not say anything to us and we have no idea why he carried a knife to the police station.”
Bhati’s uncle, Umesh, recalled the numerous times they tried to take him to the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences for treatment. “He always resisted. Once he even jumped out of the car. He remains aloof and mostly keeps himself to his room,” he said.
Bhati has an elder sister and a younger brother. His father died on the train while travelling to Ajmer on work. His uncle described him growing up as a simple child who never argued or quarrelled with anyone.