Bonth: An employee of Tata Power North Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL) was allegedly assaulted during a raid on an illegal electricity connection in Chandipur village under Bonth police limits in Bhadrak district Sunday.
According to a complaint lodged with police, a team from TPNODL’s enforcement wing conducted a raid after receiving information that a household was illegally drawing electricity through an unauthorised hook connection.
The consumer, identified as Mir Sultana Khatun, and her family had allegedly been caught on two previous occasions for power theft and had paid penalties imposed by the utility company. During the latest inspection, enforcement personnel reportedly found the family using electricity through an illegal connection.
An argument broke out between enforcement staff member Jayakrushna Padhiari and members of the household, which later escalated into a physical altercation. Padhiari was allegedly assaulted by several members of the family.
Police said Mir Abdul Hasim, husband of Mir Sultana Khatun, along with other family members, has been named in the complaint for allegedly attacking the enforcement official. Based on a complaint filed by Deepak Kumar Mohanty, assistant executive engineer of TPNODL’s Bhadrak Circle, Bonth police registered a case (196/26) and launched an investigation. Further investigation into the incident is underway.