One held for breaking CESC utility unit

KOLKATA: The city police on Thursday arrested Md Usman, alias Chelua, for vandalising and breaking open a smart threat-proof electricity pillar box installed in Kamarhati’s Graham Road locality on Monday.
Chelua along with with Annu was named in a complaint filed by power utility company CESC at Belghoria PS on Tuesday.
CESC officials had complained that its staff members were threatened and harassed when they went to install the new pillar box near Diamond Sports Club adjoining Chhoto Chai ground.Chelua and Annu had even told them point blank that they could not lock the box as they needed to draw free electricity from there. After the box was locked under police protection, gas gutters and iron bars were used to break it open and tap electricity.
Usman has been remanded to police custody till September 9. Police are on the looking for Annu, the other accused in the case. An official of the CESC loss control cell said the utility would replace the box to prevent tapping of electricity that also poses a threat of electrocution.
CESC has installed such threat-proof pillar boxes at other pockets in Kolkata like Garden Reach and Metiabruz where electricity pilferage has been a problem for years. The official said the utility would continue its drive against electricity theft that is a punishable offence under the Electricity Act.