Suicide after power theft charge

TT, Jalpaiguri, Jan. 8: A tea stall owner allegedly hanged himself after WBSEDCL filed a case of power theft against him and billed him to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh for electricity usage and penalty.

Niren Tantra, 65, was found hanging from a tree near his home at Paharpur More this morning.

The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) alleged that Niren had been selling power to nearby houses and shops illegally and that was why he had been given a bill of Rs 1,46,577, which included penalty for pilferage for over a year.

Sources said Niren had been running the tea stall in front of his house at Balapara near Paharpur More for several years.

“My father used to draw power to the shop from our house. But after officials of the power distribution company visited the shop and told my father that he couldn’t draw power from the house for the shop, he stopped doing so. He took a commercial connection for the shop about a year ago,” said Apon Tantra, Niren’s son.

“We had cleared all bills against the earlier domestic connection. We did not receive any bill for the new commercial connection for the past one year,” Apon said.

According to the son, last month, Niren had been called to the distribution company’s office in Jalpaiguri.

“We went there and were told that we would have to pay Rs 1,46,577 as electricity bill for one year, that is, from December 23, 2013, to December 23, 2014. The officers there also said that my father had pilfered electricity and hence, legal steps would be taken against him. Later, we learnt that a police complaint had been filed by the power company against him,” said Apon.

“Since then, my father had been suffering from depression. He used to sit alone and would worry as to how he could pay the bill. The power pilferage charge hadn’t gone down well with him. We are also surprised as to how such a fat bill was produced when there are just two electric bulbs at the tea stall. It is because of the exorbitant bill and the filing of the police complaint that my father has killed himself,” said the son.

Gobinda Talukdar, the divisional manager of the distribution company in Jalpaiguri, said Niren had pilfered electricity. “We have acted against him according to the existing laws. Still, we will again look into the entire case.”

A senior official at the firm said if somebody was found stealing electricity, steps could be taken against him according to the West Bengal Electricity Act, 2003, and West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (Electricity Supply Code) Regulations, 2013.

Sources in the power company said Niren used to supply electricity to some shops and houses illegally.

“Our officials had visited his place and found out that he was distributing electricity to his neighbours. He used to take money from them and was repeatedly warned. Niren was told about high meter readings and intimation letters were sent to him on many occasions. Still, he continued to sell power and we were forced to act,” said a source.

The source said Apon had been sent bills every quarter and he hadn’t bothered to pay. “The bill was for the power consumption for an entire year and it included penalty for the power pilferage,” said the source.

The police have registered a case of unnatural death. “Preliminary investigation suggests he has committed suicide. We are... waiting for the post-mortem report,” said Ashish Roy, the Kotwali police station inspector-in-charge.