In a major crackdown on electricity pilferage, district authorities in Sambhal unearthed a large-scale power theft racket during a pre-dawn enforcement drive on Monday. The operation, spearheaded by top officials, revealed illegal power usage at numerous locations, including a place of worship and an unauthorized charging station.
Pre-Dawn Raids Uncover Widespread Theft
The anti-power theft campaign commenced around 5 am in the Rai Satti and Sarai Tareen areas of Sambhal. The drive was led by District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya and Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi, who were accompanied by senior officials from the electricity department. The areas were specifically targeted due to alarmingly high line losses exceeding 50 percent.
Multiple teams conducted simultaneous raids, discovering a network of illegal power consumption. "Today's drive was conducted in Rai Satti and Sarai Tareen areas, where line losses exceed 50 per cent. Multiple teams carried out raids and detected widespread power theft," stated District Magistrate Pensiya to reporters.
Illegal Setups at Mosque, Charging Station & Homes
The raids led to the detection of power theft at 20 to 30 locations. Among the most notable cases were an illegal e-rickshaw charging station operating on stolen electricity and an unauthorized mini power distribution setup that was illegally supplying electricity to approximately 40 to 50 houses.
In a significant finding, authorities also detected electricity theft at a local mosque. The scale and organization of the theft suggested a coordinated racket. SP Krishna Kumar Vishnoi noted that the area appeared to be part of a large illicit operation, which necessitated the focused enforcement action.
Ongoing Campaign & Massive Savings
This drive is part of a sustained campaign against electricity theft that has been ongoing in Sambhal since September last year. District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya revealed that this prolonged effort has resulted in direct and indirect savings of nearly Rs 150 crore for the state exchequer.
To curb the rampant theft, a special campaign has been launched with significant police force deployment. "To curb it (power theft), a special campaign has been launched with deployment of police personnel from eight police stations and several circle officers," explained SP Vishnoi. Officials confirmed that further legal action will be initiated against all individuals found involved in the electricity theft cases.
