In a significant operation against electricity theft, authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district have uncovered a fully developed illegal mini power station. The clandestine setup was found supplying power to 50-60 households by directly tapping into the main supply line.
Pre-Dawn Raid Uncovers Widespread Theft
The crackdown commenced around 5 am on Monday in the Sarai Tareen and Dipasrai areas, considered the stronghold of Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq. The intensive drive lasted for three hours and involved a massive team. Officials from 12 power department teams, supported by police personnel from eight police stations, along with PAC, RAF, and revenue officials, conducted simultaneous checks in Dipasrai, Sarai Tareen, and Khaggu Sarai.
More than 500 premises, including houses, shops, dairies, religious places, and public areas, were inspected. Teams had to climb rooftops and use ladders to trace the illegal connections. The raid detected power theft on a mosque premises, several houses, dairies, and even an e-rickshaw charging station operating on stolen electricity.
Underground Mini Power Station Busted
Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi revealed that a sophisticated underground system functioning as a mini power station was detected in the Raisatti police station area. Electricity was drawn directly from the main supply line and illegally distributed to dozens of households. An FIR has been registered against one person for operating this illegal station, and action against other offenders is underway.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia stated that the special drive was launched in areas reporting technical and commercial line losses of over 50%. He emphasized that power theft results in substantial revenue loss and unfairly increases the burden on honest consumers. FIRs will be lodged wherever theft is found, and penalties will be imposed as per rules.
Past Actions and Political Links
This is not the first major anti-theft drive in the region. In a similar exercise last year, the UP electricity board registered more than 3,000 FIRs and imposed fines exceeding Rs 22 crore. According to DM Pensia, last year's campaigns resulted in direct and indirect revenue savings of approximately Rs 150 crore.
The crackdown has previously implicated several prominent local figures. In the past, Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman Barq was charged with theft of 16.5 kW, attracting a penalty of Rs 1.2 crore. Former UP minister Aqeel Ur Rehman Khan (SP) was found using 3 kW illegally, fined Rs 2 lakh, and ex-SP district president Firoz Khan faced a Rs 55 lakh fine for allegedly stealing 4.8 kW.
Local residents suggest that power theft raids in Sambhal have intensified since the violence in November last year during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, an incident that resulted in five deaths and injuries to many police personnel. The administration has vowed that the current campaign against electricity theft will continue.
