SURUNGA: As many as 20 persons have been arrested red-handed while they were allegedly involved in hooking for power theft in Surunga, Kankai Municipality of Jhapa district on Sunday.

A joint team of Anarmani Distribution Centre of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the Anarmani Area Police Office, arrested them red-handed, together with the equipment used for it on Sunday night, said the Centre Chief Rajiv Kumar Singh. They have been arrested from Prajapati Tole of the place.

Actions would be taken against them by filing a case under the Electricity Leakage Control Act 2001, Singh added.

Police have also confiscated irrigation motors and electricity wires used to hook the central power line as well as electricity metres, said NEA engineer Dhirendra Bajgain.