Varanasi: A suspected attempt to deliberately block key sewer lines with sand-filled sacks, stones, plywood, plastic material and sawdust to trigger flooding surfaced in several city wards, including Shivala, Sarainandan and Nagwa, on Saturday evening. The blockage led to sewage overflowing into adjoining lanes and waterlogging at multiple points, following which Jal Kal officials lodged an FIR against unidentified persons under Section 326C.During cleaning operations, Varanasi Municipal Corporation and Jal Kal teams found sacks filled with sand, along with stones, plywood, plastic material and sawdust, stuffed inside the main sewer lines. Officials said the blockage caused sewage to overflow into adjoining lanes, disrupting residents and creating waterlogging at multiple points.Suspecting a conspiracy to distort the image of the city, officials lodged an FIR with Bhelupur police under Section 326C, which penalises acts of mischief by causing inundation (flooding) or obstruction to public drainage resulting in injury or damage. Police said examination of CCTV footage had begun on Sunday to identify and nab those involved.The development comes amid criticism from opposition leaders and social media users over waterlogging in Shivala. UP Congress chief Ajay Rai had recently alleged that foreign tourists were being forced to wade through dirty water in the locality, calling it an embarrassment for both Varanasi and the country.Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari and municipal commissioner Himanshu Nagpal inspected the affected stretch near Agrawal Radio in Shivala on Saturday, accompanied by councillors and civic officials. The mayor said teams of the municipal corporation and Jal Kal department had been working round the clock to drain low-lying areas and clear sewer points.He alleged that misleading photographs and videos of waterlogging had been circulated on social media over the past 10 days to target the civic body, even though several problem spots had been cleared.Tiwari said nearly 12 sacks of sand were removed from the Shivala sewer line on Friday night. He described the discovery as a serious matter requiring a detailed investigation. The corporation is examining CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify those responsible and initiate strict legal action. Nagpal said the act appeared to involve antisocial elements and that the civic administration would pursue the case firmly. He urged citizens to alert authorities if they noticed anyone tampering with sewer lines or public property.The Jal Kal department submitted a written complaint at Bhelupur police station seeking registration of an FIR against unidentified persons. The complaint, filed by the executive engineer of Zone-2, stated that a large quantity of sand-filled sacks was found near the garbage point at Ratnakar Park, close to Agrawal Radio, while the main sewer line was being cleaned to address waterlogging in Shivala Ward 75. It alleged that the line was deliberately blocked to damage the image of the Jal Kal department and the city.
