MUZAFFARGARH: Eight persons were booked for threatening and attacking Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) team in Karamdad Qureshi area during a large-scale operation launched against electricity thieves and defaulters.

As per officials, a Mepco team conducted a raid to check electricity team in Basti Sanjrani, Bet Uttra. As the team traced power theft and started removing meter, the suspects Mujahid Hussain, Mohammed Shakeel and six others on Mepco official.

The case was registered againstthe suspects at Qasba Gujrat police station under sections 353, 461-1,186, 148, 149 of the PPC.

Mepco Muzaffargarh Circle Superintending Engineer Rajesh Kumar says the operation was launched on the direction of Mepco Chief Executive Officer Jam GulMuhammad Zahid.As per officials, during the operation, jointly conducted by Mepco, Rangers led by Commander Maj Raam Ali, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and police teams, in the tough areas of Karamdad Qureshi sub division of the company, 35 consumers were caught stealing electricity.

The suspects were using different techniques, including direct coil system, meter tampering and installing bogus meters to pilfer electricity. These thieves were arrested by the police, registering cases against them.

Electricity thieves were also caught in Khadim Chandia, Mulan Chandia, Chandia Ahmed Khan Wali, Rind, Sanjrani, Shahbaz and other areas and were booked by police concerned.

A Mepco official says that Karamdad Qureshi had become a no-go area for Mepco teams, while meter tampering and bogus meter were rife inthe area, which has also a large number of defaulters.

SDO Sardar Akram Khan Gopang says that operation will continue till eradication of power theft in the area.

BODY FOUND: Dead body of a young missing girl was found in a drain located in Farid Colony on Sunday near Baloch Basti on Alipur Road.

According to Rescue 1122 officials a caller informed them about a girl`s body lying in a drain in Farid Colony.

The body was retrieved by Rescue 1122 staff from the drain in the presence of police and forensic teams and shifted to the district headquarters hospital.

The deceased was identified as Muskan Zahra (20), daughter of Bahram Khan. She had been missing for the last two days.

Police say they were waiting for the postmortem examination of the body for further action.