People hold MLA captive over frequent power cuts

Now even the public representatives are not safe, rues MLA.

BSP MLA Baban Singh Chauhan being held hostage by a group of villagers who were protesting against erratic supply of electricity and water in Alinagar area in Mughal Sarai, U.P., on Sunday.

For the first time in Uttar Pradesh, an MLA has been held captive by the people for frequent power cuts in their localities.

The protesters kept Babban Singh Chauhan, BSP MLA from Mughal Sarai in Chandauli district, tied to his chair for about four hours on Sunday.

The people’s demand is that power supply in the Alinagar and Nai Basti wards be switched from a rural to a city feeder to prevent frequent power cuts.

Mr. Chauhan, along with the husband of corporator Murshida Begum, visited Alinagar to extend Eid greetings. But the people started alleging that he had been ignoring the problem of power cuts, and a heated exchange ensued. Reports said the MLA kept repeating that he had raised the issue with the District Magistrate and the Executive Engineer, but the angry crowd was not placated. He and the corporator’s husband were asked not to leave the spot. Sensing trouble, the two got up to leave. But they were stopped and tied to their chairs.

No response to SOS

The two were freed only on the intervention of the police from the Alinagar and the Mughal Sarai stations, after several SOSs sent by Mr. Chauhan to the District Magistrate and Power Department officials yielded no response.

The people placed the blame for the problem on the people’s representatives. It was said the power supply in the Nai Basti, Alinagar and Mughalchak wards was linked to the rural feeder, though these areas were in Mughal Sarai city. The people wanted their connections to be attached to the Mughal Sarai feeder.

Mr. Chauhan said he had written to the District Magistrate of Chandauli and the Executive Engineer of the area for immediate redress of the problem, but no action was taken.

They were released after the intervention of the station house officers of the Mughal Sarai and the Alinagar police stations.

Mr. Chauhan later told The Hindu that now even public representatives were not safe.

“Despite being held captive by the mob for three to four hours, no official reached the spot,” he said. He said the issue would be raised in the coming Monsoon Session of the Assembly.