4 held for using children to steal power; minors made to enter substation for Rs 500 per connection

Mumbai, Nov 14 (PTI) Three women and a man were booked for allegedly using children to steal electricity in Mumbai's Trombay area, a police official said on Friday.

The children, in the 10-15 age group, were paid Rs 500 per illegal connection and sent inside a high-risk electrical substation, putting their lives in danger, he added.

The accused have been identified as Shabana Shyam Waranpure, alias Shabbo, Manjula Khandangale, Sahil, and Jubina, the Trombay police station official said.

"The racket was busted by an Adani Electricity official, who, along with his team, caught two minor boys red-handed while they were fixing illegal connections inside the firm's Mankhurd Shivshahi substation. The children revealed a gang from Mankhurd area was behind the organised power theft," he said.

The Mankhurd Shivshahi substation supplies power to several parts of the eastern suburbs, and the gang has so far stolen power worth Rs 42 lakh, the official added. PTI ZA BNM