Mob attacks BSES team in outer Delhi, 2 injured

New Delhi: Two persons were injured when a team of a power distribution company (discom) allegedly came under attack by a mob during a routine check of power theft in outer Delhi’s Kamruddin Nagar area, the police said on Wednesday.

The 20-member team was chased and attacked with iron rods on Tuesday by a mob of 15-20 people, including two women. The BSES employee — retired police ACP Santosh Kumar Singh — sustained head injuries, the discom spokesperson said.

“The attack was pre-planned as the team was attacked when two Delhi police personnel accompanying it had gone for lunch,” the police said.

A case was registered at Nihal Vihar police station. Efforts are being made to arrest the culprits, the officer added. “Kamruddin Nagar, falling under Mundka division, is a high-theft area. This is not an isolated incident. Efforts of discom teams to check the irregularities are often thwarted by the law-defying people,” the BSES spokesperson said.

Power theft has taken shape of “organised crime” and an even more active police support is needed to curb this menace, he added.

“Despite intensive efforts to reduce power theft, Kamruddin Nagar (a prominent area in division Mundka) continues to have power-theft of around 55 per cent. The area is infested with illegal plastic factories, which are not only running for stolen electricity, but also cause heavy pollution,” the spokesperson added.

Last year, in neighbouring Jafarpur Kalan area, a BSES engineer had died and four others were injured when their car rammed into a tree while being chased by a mob during a drive against power theft.