Agartala, May 13: Tripura Power minister Ratanlal Nath has ordered an investigation after a deliberate sabotage aimed to destabilize the power supply, particularly in Agartala and surrounding areas, came to light.
According to a press release issued by the TSECL, Nath has raised serious concerns over the involvement of a miscreant group allegedly trying to intentionally destabilize electricity services.
With the people facing repeated outages, especially in Agartala, the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) and the Power department have launched an investigation into the matter. Nath has personally intervened, directing a thorough probe and promising strict action against those responsible.
According to TSECL, multiple areas in Agartala faced simultaneous power cuts late Monday night. Despite the main transmission lines functioning properly, several localities were plunged into darkness. Upon inspection, the power workers found that in many cases, transformer gangs were deliberately removed, and cutouts were tampered with.
Deliberate acts of sabotage were found in at least 21 transformers across the city, in areas such as Dhaleshwar Road No. 8, Chandrapur Daspara, Joyguru Autostand, Ashram Chowmuhani, Palkee Marriage Hall, and Shivnagar Modern Club, among others. In some places, heavy objects were tied to power lines in a suspected attempt to trigger short circuits and cause power failure.
According to a press release from the TSECL, preliminary investigations indicate this was not an accident but a pre-planned operation by an organized group. CCTV footage from Kamar Pukur Para shows a man arriving on a scooter and disabling a transformer, shortly after which the area lost power. Authorities are reviewing additional footage to identify those involved.
In response, an FIR has been lodged at the East Agartala Police Station. Nath has spoken to the Superintendent of Police, West Tripura and the Officer-in-Charge of the East Agartala Police Station for a thorough investigation. The Information Technology department has also been engaged to assess the technical aspects of the incidents.
The Power Minister emphasized, “There is no shortage in electricity production or supply in Tripura. Temporary disruptions may occur due to mechanical faults or natural disasters, but what we are witnessing now is a planned act of sabotage intended to disrupt daily life."
He clarified that in cases where temporary outages are necessary under the Smart City project, residents are notified in advance. Apart from technical faults or planned shutdowns, there is no reason for such widespread blackouts, he said.
Nath urged the people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the nearest electricity office or police station.
These acts are not just attempts of sabotage—they may also be linked to crimes where power cuts are used to aid theft or other offenses. This is extremely dangerous, the Power Minister warned.
Reaffirming the state government's commitment to maintaining uninterrupted power supply, the Minister assured that the culprits would be identified and dealt with as per law. He stressed the need for public awareness and cooperation in handling such issues.