JOIN US'Paying low power bill cost his life'
Even as the family of 55-year-old Kailash Chandra, who died of a heart attack after discom officials raided his house suspecting power theft, are still to come to terms with the loss, they alleged that Kailash died because the officials — apart from manhandling the victim — also threatened to levy a fine of Rs 1 lakh for power theft.
The family members said the BSES officials raided their house, arguing the bill of Rs 550 was too less for their two-room house, and accused the family of power theft.
“Four persons entered our house at noon on Friday. They manhandled my husband, saying we were stealing power as the bill of Rs 550 was too less. The officials disconnected the power supply and took away the meter, even as my husband sufferered a stroke and fell in front of them,” said Bimla, wife of Kailash Chandra.
Family members of Kailash, who left behind his wife and two children, said they have been paying bills regularly.
“We have a two-room house. Only my father and mother stay in the house as I am pursuing a nursing course at a nearby institute and live in
the hostel. My brother Pawan also lives separately,” said Anu, the teenaged daughter of Kailash.
Residents of Satyam Puram — a colony devoid of basic infrastructure like road, sewage and water supply — also alleged that they are being harassed by discom officials.
“I applied for a connection six months back. I have made several rounds to the BSES office, but they haven’t installed the meter yet. And now they have served me a notice of paying Rs 60,000 as anti-theft charge,” said Sanjeev Kumar, a neighbour of Kailash Chandra.
While the still developing colony on Bahdurgarh border house around 500 houses, electricity meters have been installed in 25 percent households.
Residents said most of them have applied for meter connection, but discom officials were deliberately not installing meters to extort money.