Over 1,400 power theft cases registered in Sambhal; 16 mosques, 2 madrasas implicated

"Following the initiation of this campaign, applications for new electricity connections have been received from 22 mosques and one church," said Superintending Engineer Vinod Kumar

Sambhal: Since the violence during a court-ordered survey at the Shahi Jama Masjid here on November 24, 2024, the district has seen an intensified crackdown on electricity theft, resulting in the registration of more than 1,400 cases, implicating 16 mosques and 2 madrasas.

Superintending Engineer Vinod Kumar shared the details with reporters on Wednesday, saying, "We have registered more than 1,400 cases of power theft in Sambhal so far, which include allegations against 16 mosques and 2 madrasas." "A fine of Rs 11 crore has been imposed in these cases, and nearly Rs 20 lakh has been recovered as of now," Kumar added.

He highlighted the broader impact of the crackdown, saying, "Following the initiation of this campaign, applications for new electricity connections have been received from 22 mosques and one church." "During our inspections, we noticed unusual load patterns -- load dropped from feeders early in the morning but surged between 10 pm and 4 am. This led us to identify key locations and conduct nighttime checks. Just two days ago, we registered 42 more cases of electricity theft," he added.

Earlier, an FIR was lodged against Samajwadi Party leader and Sambhal's Lok Sabha MP Ziaur Rahman Barq also for alleged power theft at his home in the city following an inspection by the electricity department officials.

The last year's violence had left four people dead and several injured.