Residents of the Dugri area are deeply troubled by the high-handedness of the Patwari’s agent, who sits behind the Shiva Temple. Locals say the actual Patwari is rarely seen in the office, but his agent roams the area as a “mini Patwari” and doesn’t do anything without money. Distressed citizens report that the agent openly demands money and threatens to delay work if anyone protests.
A man who had come to register a transfer said he had been making the rounds of the office for the past 20-25 days. Today, when he arrived with his papers, the agent stared at him and asked, “What’s your work?” When the man mentioned registering the transfer, the employee arrogantly said, “It’ll cost 5,000 rupees.” When the man, citing government orders, said that the transfer is free, the clerk sarcastically replied, “Go and get it done wherever it’s done without any fees.”
Local residents say this clerk is openly engaging in corruption, but no one dares to speak out against him. They have demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann take strict action against such corrupt officials and the officials who protect them, so that the common man can get justice. When Patwari Mandeep was contacted in this regard, he did not answer the phone.
