RAUTAHAT: As many as 16 persons were arrested red-handed while they were allegedly involved in hooking for power theft in Gamhariya of Gadimai Municipality-3 of Rautahat district on Monday night.

A Leakage Control Team deployed from Gaur Distribution Centre of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), with the help of local police, detained Sheikh Majbula, brother of Province 2 lawmaker Sheikh Abul Kalam Ajad (Phulbabu) and 15 others, together with the equipment used for hooking at around 1:00 am yesterday, informed police.

The police further added that the arrestees have been kept in the custody of District Police Office, Rautahat.

According to Umesh Yadav, chief of Gaur Distribution Centre, stealing of electricity by the means of hooking has been increasing of late in the district, forcing the centre to mobilise the leakage control unit in a campaign to stop the leakage and arrest the involved individuals.

Actions would be taken against them under the Electricity Leakage Control Act 2001, Yadav added.