Thieves steal 73 taps from Congress office, leave ‘I love you’ note

RAIPUR: Unidentified thieves allegedly stole around 73 steel taps and bathroom fittings from the Congress office in Chhattisgarh’s Ambikapur town before leaving behind a handwritten message in dust reading, “I Love You Ambikapur”.The latest break-in at Rajiv Bhavan in Ambikapur’s Gandhi Chowk area marks the third reported theft at the Congress office, with earlier cases yet to see any major breakthrough, claimed Congress.According to Congress functionaries, the thieves struck early on Saturday and allegedly made away with dozens of steel taps and restroom fittings. Visuals from inside the building showed broken wash basins, damaged flush systems and empty faucet pipes protruding from restroom walls after the burglary.What drew the most attention, however, was the message allegedly scribbled into the dust on the floor before the burglars fled.District Congress president Balkrishna Pathak said this was the third theft reported at Rajiv Bhavan, raising uncomfortable questions over how the same office keeps becoming a recurring target while the culprits continue to remain out of reach.He claimed the thieves operated with such confidence that it appeared they had no fear whatsoever of being caught.“The way the taps were removed, it looked like they had all the time in the world,” a Congress worker remarked sarcastically, while pointing at the gutted bathroom fittings.Pathak suspected the involvement of drug addicts or anti-social elements and accused the administration of allowing law and order to deteriorate. He said the “love you” message left behind was nothing less than an open mockery of the police machinery.Police said the matter was under investigation. Officers added that the CCTV cameras installed at the party office did not appear to be functioning, leaving investigators without footage from the incident.The unusual message left behind has since become one of the most talked-about aspects of the burglary.