- विज्ञापन -
Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh): Early Saturday morning, authorities in Sambhal launched a raid aimed at combating electricity theft, uncovering illegal power supplies allegedly linked to several religious sites in the area.
The operation, led by the Electricity Department in conjunction with the District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP), commenced at 5 A.M. District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya explained that the initial goal was to monitor loudspeaker usage at religious locations to address noise pollution. However, this inspection revealed widespread electricity theft.
“At 5:00 A.M., we started checking loudspeakers to tackle pollution issues at religious sites, which have been problematic. Many loudspeakers were removed, and one arrest was made on Friday. During this process, we discovered numerous illegal electricity connections supplying power to approximately 250 to 300 homes, including mosques and madrasas,” he stated.
Pensiya further noted that a makeshift power station was discovered on a mosque roof, providing electricity to 100 to 150 homes.
“An entire roof was converted into an illegal powerhouse. We have documented this, and the illegal connections will be repaired. We will assess the situation properly, and our efforts will continue until Sambhal is completely free of power theft,” he added.
Sambhal SP Krishan Bishnoi elaborated on the findings, stating, “Since 5:00 A.M. today, we have been inspecting loudspeakers at all religious sites, including temples and mosques.”
“During our inspection, we found illegal electricity connections directly linked to utility poles, powering entire neighborhoods. Over 100 illegal connections were identified in just three hours,” he reported.
He mentioned that four mosques were found with electricity wires extending from their towers to supply power to surrounding areas.
“Investigations are ongoing, and legal action will be taken against those involved in these illegal activities. The electricity theft has resulted in significant financial losses, amounting to crores of rupees. One mosque had a makeshift powerhouse on its tower supplying electricity to nearby regions. We are also looking into whether fees were charged to local residents for these illegal connections,” he added.
Authorities are intensifying their efforts to tackle electricity theft in Sambhal, which has led to considerable financial losses. The crackdown will persist until the region adheres to legal electricity usage regulations, officials confirmed.
