Cable mafia rules in Bengaluru south, cuts off DTH service providers

BENGALURU: Residents of J.P. Nagar 9th Phase, Doddakallasandra are a worried lot after they were allegedly denied Direct To Home (DTH) connection into their houses following an alleged threat by local cable operator mafia ruling the roost.

A 27-year-old techie filed a police complaint on April 26, and Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi, who took immediate note of the complaint, has asked DCP, Command Centre, M.G. Nagendra Kumar, to submit a report.

The alleged harassment at the hands of local mafia began around two weeks ago after several visits and innumerable calls made to different DTH service providers for a connection at his in-laws’ house proved futile for Mr Kumar, a resident of Marathalli. When he approached the service providers, they told him that their representatives cannot install the DTH at his in-laws’ house in Doddakallasandra because of a threat from local cable operators, he stated in the complaint.

Mr Kumar told Deccan Chronicle, “My father-in-law and mother-in-law shifted to the area recently. After we bought an LCD TV from a leading store near Puttenahalli Lake, the manager told me that we would have a problem getting a DTH connection as most of the service providers will not enter that area.”

Surprised by the manager’s reply, Mr Kumar called the service providers in and around Doddakallasandra. “Over the last one week, I have called over 25 individual service providers, but soon after they ask for the PIN code, which is 560062, to know the jurisdiction, they cancel the request, saying they cannot enter the area or make business as they have been receiving threats from local cable operators.”

When DC contacted Mr Nagendra Kumar, he said, “We are investigating the complaint. The police suspect that business rivalry is the prime reason behind the alleged threats to service providers. A team of police officers is collecting information and verifying with other residents. It is a big mafia running in the city. We will soon submit a report to the commissioner.”