Banda: Attack on electricity department team; five employees, including a Junior Engineer, held hostage and beaten.
Banda: An attack by villagers on a Power Department team—which had visited to investigate electricity theft and recover previously imposed fines—has shaken the administration in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district. An incident has come to light in Barehanda village (under the Atarra police station area) where department officials and staff were allegedly assaulted, held hostage, and subjected to an attempt to burn them alive by opening a gas cylinder. Following the incident, department officials lodged a complaint with the police, leading to a case being registered against five named accused. Three individuals, including a father-son duo, have been detained for questioning, while a search for the remaining accused is underway.
According to reports, the Power Department team had arrived in Barehanda village to recover fines imposed for past electricity theft cases and to investigate fresh complaints of power theft in the area. The team comprised several department employees, including three Junior Engineers (JEs). Officials stated that while they were inspecting electricity connections and meters at certain houses, some villagers began opposing the action, and the situation quickly escalated into a confrontation.
Departmental officials reported that the protesting villagers surrounded the team and behaved abusively. It is alleged that the villagers forcibly locked three JEs and two other employees inside a house and brutally assaulted them. The staff members were beaten with kicks, punches, and sticks, resulting in injuries to several of them. News of the incident caused a stir among departmental officials and the police administration.
The most serious allegation is that the attackers opened the regulator of a gas cylinder kept in the room and attempted to burn the employees alive. However, the employees were safely rescued after the police and others arrived before the situation could worsen. Had the rescue not occurred in time, the incident could have turned into a major tragedy. The injured employees were sent to the hospital, where they received first aid.
Following the incident, Power Department officials described it as an act of obstructing official duty and a premeditated attack on government employees. Senior department officials have demanded strict action against the perpetrators. They state that the campaign against electricity theft is a government priority and that such incidents are attempts to demoralize the staff. The department has clarified that the drive to curb electricity theft and recover revenue will continue, and the guilty will not be spared at any cost.
Based on a formal complaint filed by the electricity department, the police have registered a case against five named individuals under various sections of the law. Action is being taken against the accused for obstructing official duty, assault, attempted murder, wrongful confinement, and other related offenses. Acting swiftly, the police have detained three of the accused, while raids are underway to apprehend the others who are currently absconding.
Police officials state that an impartial investigation is being conducted. Evidence has been collected from the scene, and statements from eyewitnesses are being recorded. If the investigation confirms allegations that the accused attempted to burn the employees by opening a gas cylinder, additional, more serious charges could be added against them. Additional police forces have been deployed in the village to prevent any tension or law-and-order issues.
There is widespread outrage among electricity department employees following the incident. They state that they had visited the village to discharge their duties in accordance with government orders, and the treatment meted out to them was deeply unfortunate. They have demanded adequate police protection during future campaigns so that employees can perform their duties without fear.
According to locals, disputes between the department and villagers regarding electricity theft have occurred several times in the past. However, the situation turned violent this time, raising concerns for the administration. Officials maintain that curbing electricity theft and recovering revenue are routine legal procedures, and opposing them through violence constitutes a serious crime.
The police are currently conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. The detained individuals are being interrogated, and the search for the absconding suspects continues. The administration has made it clear that strict legal action will be taken against those who assault government employees. Meanwhile, the electricity department has also indicated that the special drive against power theft in the district will continue as before, and official action will not be halted due to any kind of pressure or violence.
