PSPCL officials on raid to check power theft attacked

The officials of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), who had gone to conduct a raid to check power theft in Bhagi Wander village on Saturday morning, were attacked by the residents after the officials found some of them indulging in theft of power.

The officials of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), who had gone to conduct a raid to check power theft in Bhagi Wander village on Saturday morning, were attacked by the residents after the officials found some of them indulging in theft of power.

Based on a complaint by Sham Lal, junior engineer, the police have booked SAD zila parishad member Sukhmandar Singh, Raju Singh, son of village sarpanch Charanjit Kaur, Ajit Singh, Bhola Singh and more than 10 unidentified people under sections 307, 382 323, 353, 341, 186, 506, 148, 149 of the IPC on the charges of 'attempted murder' and obstructing government servants from performing their duty by Talwandi Sabo police.

Sub-divisional officer (SDO) Kewal Singh said that the department was aware of the power theft in the village as the residents had not agreed to shift power meters outside their houses and decided to conduct a raid. The department formed four teams with six officials in each team and conducted the raid in the village at about 6 am.

"Meanwhile a group of villagers, led by Raju and three others, attacked us. JE Sham Lal and another employee suffered serious injuries and they were rushed to the civil hospital at Talwandi Sabo," he said. Investigating officer, ASI Krishan Singh, said that the police were trying to identify the other accused also and all would be nabbed soon.