Lesco detects 248 more power thieves

LAHORE: An operation against electricity thieves entered the fourth day on Sunday as the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) detected power theft by 248 more consumers.

According to a spokesperson for Lesco, action was taken against electricity thieves in five circles of Lahore including Okara, Sheikhupura, Kasur and Nankana circles, during which 248 people were found involved in electricity theft. Applications for FIRs have been filed in the police stations concerned, and cases against 126 were registered, while three persons were detained.

Among the connections seized were one industrial, three agricultural, seven commercial and 237 domestic. After disconnecting all the connections, the consumers were charged 564,486 units in the form of detection bill, amounting to Rs25.771 million. According to details, Muhammad Hayat Dogar in Kasur was found involved in stealing 25,622 units (Rs768,607), Muhammad Munir, an agricultural consumer named in Okara issued detection bill of 25,000 units (Rs600,000), a domestic consumer named Muhammad Ashfaq in Lahore was found stealing 17,000 units (Rs85,000), an agricultural consumer named Abdul Rasheed in Sheikhupura was served detection bill for stealing 15,000 units (Rs420,000).

Sajid Munir, a domestic consumer of Lahore, was charged 4635 units (Rs270,801), Muhammad Shafiq, a domestic consumer in Lahore, was charged 4,609 units (Rs230,450), while Bashir Ahmed, a domestic consumer of Lahore, was charged 4,500 units (Rs202,500) as detection bill.

During the ongoing grand operation, 1061 electricity thieves had been caught so far, out of which 1059 cases registered in the respective police stations, while 655 cases were registered.

Nineteen people were arrested during four days. A total of 3,590,045 units were charged to the electricity thieves.