A pre-dawn enforcement drive in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal uncovered widespread electricity theft, including at a mosque, homes and e-rickshaw charging stations. Led by the district magistrate and police chief, the operation found illegal power setups.
A major power theft racket was uncovered in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district after authorities carried out a surprise pre-dawn enforcement drive on Monday. The operation, led by senior district officials, revealed widespread illegal use of electricity across several locations, including a mosque, homes, and e-rickshaw charging stations.
Early morning enforcement drive
The anti-power theft drive began around 5 am in the Rai Satti and Sarai Tareen areas of Sambhal. The operation was led by the District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya and Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi, along with senior officials from the electricity department, according to a report by The Times of India.
Multiple teams were formed and sent into the area to check power lines, meters and suspicious connections. The early timing was chosen to prevent offenders from disconnecting illegal lines before inspection.
Related Articles
Illegal connections detected
During the drive, officials found several cases of electricity theft. These included illegal power use at:
- A mosque
- An e-rickshaw charging station
- An unauthorised mini power distribution setup
- Around 20 to 30 other locations
District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya said an illegal charging station was operating where e-rickshaws were being charged using stolen electricity. Another illegal setup was supplying power to 40 to 50 houses without authorisation.
Areas with heavy power losses
Officials said the drive focused on Rai Satti and Sarai Tareen because line losses in these areas exceed 50 per cent. This means more than half the electricity supplied was being lost, mainly due to theft.
Pensiya said Sambhal has been running a sustained campaign against power theft since September last year, which has already resulted in direct and indirect savings of nearly Rs 150 crore.
Police action and wider crackdown
Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said the area appeared to be part of a large and organised power theft network. Due to the scale of illegal activity, a special enforcement campaign has been launched.
Police personnel from eight police stations, along with several circle officers, were deployed to ensure safety and prevent resistance during the raids.
Officials confirmed that legal action will be taken against all individuals found involved in electricity theft. Authorities said such drives will continue in the future to reduce losses and ensure fair power distribution.
