Lucknow: Gang steals 440 kVA transformer, cuts power to 300 homes in Lucknow ’s Shivpuri area | Lucknow News
LUCKNOW: A daring theft in the early hours of Thursday left nearly 300 households in darkness after a 440 kVA transformer was stolen from a residential area located in the outskirts of Lucknow.The transformer, valued at around Rs 11,03,414, was targeted by a gang of five to six men who removed its expensive copper binding before fleeing. The incident happened in Rai enclave, under the Shivpuri of Chinhat sub‑station in the Gomti Nagar zone of Lucknow.Speaking to TOI, Chinhat sub‑divisional officer A K Singh, the thieves dismantled the transformer and took its copper coil, a component highly sought after in the scrap market.Singh stated that insufficient police patrolling in the locality contributed to the incident.CCTV footage from the vicinity reportedly captured group of men arriving in a Swift Dzire car and swiftly stripping the transformer of its copper winding.The theft came to light around 4.30 am when residents reported a sudden power outage to the Shivpuri power house. A team of electricians was immediately dispatched, only to find the transformer dismantled, lying open on the ground with its key components missing.Following the discovery, the power department filed a written complaint with Chinhat police, to lodge an FIR against unidentified thieves.Meanwhile, to provide relief to the affected families, the SDO’s team restored power by installing a trolley‑mounted 400 kVA transformer.Authorities are now examining CCTV footage and conducting a probe to identify and arrest the culprits responsible for the high‑value theft.
