Kalain: Stone Pelting over Smart Meter, Two APDCL Staff Severely Injured

In a shocking incident, an Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) team was attacked while installing smart meters and investigating meter tampering at Khelma Part-II, Kalain, on Friday afternoon. The assault left two staff members severely injured and led to disconnection of electricity for 41 households in the area.

The attack occurred at around 2 pm when the APDCL sub-division team, accompanied by personnel from Gumrah Outpost, was inspecting tampered digital meters and installing smart meters in the village. According to officials, stones were pelted, and the team faced physical assault. Two outsourced line staff members, Rahim Uddin Choudhury and Nur Islam Barbhuiya, sustained severe injuries. Choudhury suffered an injury to his prostate, while Barbhuiya required stitches in both legs and suffered a back injury. Both were referred to Silchar Medical College and Hospital after receiving initial treatment at Kalain Health Centre.

Sub-Divisional Engineer Subham Das described the attack as unprecedented. “This is the first time we’ve experienced such violence in our sub-division. While smart meter installations have been ongoing without major resistance—27,000 installed out of 57,000 consumers—problems arise in areas prone to power theft,” he stated.

According to Das, the villagers probably resisted the installation of smart meters due to concerns over uncovering power theft. “Some meters are defective and billed on an average basis. Many consumers resist replacements as actual consumption becomes evident, especially in theft-prone areas,” he explained.

The attack escalated when members of the team attempted to leave the area. “They punctured the tyres of the vehicle and destroyed a staff member’s mobile phone and earphones to erase video evidence,” Das revealed. Following the violence, the 25 kVA transformer supplying 41 consumers was disconnected.

Visuals from the site reveal a harrowing scene where the two APDCL staff members were assaulted by locals. The footage shows the attackers pelting stones at the team, creating a chaotic and violent atmosphere as the staff tried to carry out their duties.

The police arrived at the location shortly after the incident to bring the situation under control. Some individuals were taken into custody, although they claimed innocence, insisting that they had not assaulted anyone.

The APDCL filed an FIR against 13 individuals, accusing them of inciting the attack, pelting stones, and causing harm to staff and property. The accused include Abdul Kayur Choudhury, Ikbal Hussain Choudhury, Dilwar Hussain Choudhury, Abu Anchar, Sahar Uddin Barbhuiya, Komrul Islam, Abdul Monaf, Abdul Malik, Abdul Hanan, Sahab Uddin, Abdul Kayum, Sahajul Islam, and Alai Uddin.