Drive against encroachment, power theft sparks controversy

MEERUT: Nearly three weeks after violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during the second round of a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Mosque and claimed four lives, a joint team of the power department and the Nagar Palika Parishad (municipal board) carried out a special drive against encroachment and power theft in the localities around the Mughal-era mosque on Saturday.

- HT Correspondent

The drive, lasting over eight hours, led to significant discoveries of illegal power connections, with over 100 cases traced, officials said.

Superintendent of police (SP) K.K. Bishnoi said, "We have uncovered significant power theft in these areas, with electricity being supplied through illegal connections to entire neighbourhoods."

"In some cases, the electricity is being provided from makeshift power connections atop a mosque minaret," he said. The police are identifying all those involved and profiting from these illegal connections.

"Action will be taken under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act if any material benefits are being collected using unlawful means," Bishnoi said.

He said that resistance from certain areas during drives in the past prompted authorities to seek police support for the operation.

"This anti-power theft drive has been ongoing for the past two months in Sambhal. Over 1,200 cases have been registered so far, with fines exceeding ₹5 crore," he claimed.

District magistrate Rajendra Pensiya also visited the areas targeted in the drive, instructing teams to remove encroachments, particularly those obstructing drainage systems.

Pensiya confirmed that the administration was taking steps to address encroachments around the historical mosque.

"We are marking the area as it is in the documents and ensuring it is cleaned up. There is a well nearby, which we are in the process of reviving," Pensiya said, according to a PTI report.