Noting that this was not an insolated incident, a discom release said that a BYPL team had also been attacked a few days back in the same area, which has a power theft rate of around 30 per cent.
"In the latest incident, members of BYPL teams were attacked by an area resident and his goons in East Delhi's Sabji Mandi area," it said.
The attack was so brazen that even the presence of the accompanying Delhi Police personnel did not deter the miscreants, it said.
"Everything was going on smoothly, till the officials detected direct power theft at C 382, Main Road, Subji Mandi, Maujpur. All hell broke loose, when the teams started to record the evidence of theft. Not only were the officials obstructed from doing their work, the owner of the property Surender alias Pappi, accompanied by a few local goons, attacked the team with rods, sticks and fists, injuring two BSES officials," it said.
The stolen electricity was being used for illegal manufacturing and illegal e-rickshaw charging and parking, it said
"An FIR (No 0635) has been registered against the culprit's'under sections 186/353/332/34 of the IPC at the Jafrabad Police Station and the five (Surender@Pappi, Jitin, Nishu, Pradeep and Deepak) of the accused have been remanded to judicial custody till November 24, 2019," it added.
"Whenever discom teams reach these 's'nsitive' 'reas, criminal elements 'g'erao' 'hem and obstruct officials in imparting their duties. Power theft has taken shape of organised crime and an even more active police support is needed to curb this menace," a BSES spokesperson said.
During an anti-power theft drive by BSES in July 2017, a young engineer lost his life and four other officials were seriously injured when they were attacked by power thieves in Jhul-Jhuli village in South West Delhi by a mob in Lal Kuan locality of Pul Prahladpur area of the national capital.
According to the discom, power-theft is still rampant in several pockets. These include Chandni Mahal,Turkman Gate, Daryaganj, Dallupura, Najafgargh, Jaffarpur, Mundka, Badarpur, Shaheen Bagh, Jafrabad, Sherpur, Usmanpur, Sabhapur, Ghonda, Gamri, Gokulpur, Kabir Naga, Moujpur, Chouhan Banger and Tukmeerpur, among others.
( With inputs from IANS )