Rabale police have registered a case of assault for obstructing government officials from executing their duties against unidentified individuals. This action follows the ransacking of the MSEB office at Airoli Naka on the night of April 16, which occurred in the wake of a power blackout. The incident resulted in damage to the property of the office. Yogesh Rajnayrayan Shukla, an official from MSEB, filed a complaint after he was assaulted following a power blackout around 10:30 pm on April 16.
According to the police, Shukla was on duty at the time of the incident. "Due to a technical problem, there was a power cut in the Airoli area. When the complainant attempted to restore power by switching on the light feeder, an unidentified individual from the gathered crowd outside the MSEB office entered and assaulted Shukla," stated the police.
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The complainant further alleged that the individual incited others in the crowd to set fire to the MSEB office located in sector 15 of Airoli. Additionally, the assailant damaged CCTV cameras, plastic chairs, a water filter, and other office property. A case was registered against the unidentified person under relevant sections of the IPC for assault and obstructing a government official from executing their duties.
On the night of April 16, thousands of residents staged a protest after experiencing three consecutive days of power cuts in the area. Residents expressed frustration over the persistent power outages lasting over five hours each night for the past three days, affecting nearly all areas in the node equally.
The protest brought traffic on the Airoli-Mulund road to a standstill, posing a challenge for the police in managing the situation. Following the protest, electricity was restored around 3 am on April 17.