SAHIWAL: A youth committed suicide in Pakpattan city allegedly over electricity bills and registration of a criminal case against him for electricity theft.

He was identified as Chand Kaliya, 23, a resident of Mohalla Chah Dhota.

His family said he was threatened and harassed by an officer and two meter readers of the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco). He could not bear of the pressure of a police case and committed suicide. The family demanded registration of murder case against Mepco officer Muhammad Mushtaq and two meter readers, Umer Daraz and Saleem Tahir.

Eyewitnesses said Chand was the only breadwinner of his family and electricity theft case was not registered against him but his father, Ahmed Din, as the meter was registered in his name. Reports said the meter reader had complained of electricity theft by the consumer by reversing the meter and non-payment of bills.

Chand’s father had died a decade back and when he contacted Mepco to settle the matter, its officials demanded a death certificate of his father that he could not produce.

Chand’s family alleged that meter readers had demanded bribe from him. On July 30, on the complaint of Mepco officer Muhammad Mushtaq, with two meter readers as witnesses, a case was registered with the City Police Station against Ahmed Din.

There is no report of Chand’s suicide in the City Police Station. SHO Hashim Ali suspects that Chand did not commit suicide because of an electricity bill but due to some domestic matter, a claim denied by his family.

Dawn tried to contact the Mepco SDO concerned but he did not respond to calls. Chand was laid to rest last night.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2024