Kohima: Following the recent collapse of a transmission tower in Wokha, Nagaland, the district police apprehended the primary suspect responsible for pilfering screws and bolts which resulted in the structural damage to the electricity tower.
Additional SP and PRO Wokha, K. Soriso informed that on April 28, the police received a written complaint report from the Executive Engineer (Transmission), Kohima Division, Namheu Khate Zeliang, concerning the collapse of one 132 KV single circuit tower (Lat -26.199934° and Long -94.263384°) of 132 KV Wokha–Sanis Transmission line between Yikhum and Riphyim village.
As per the complaint, the electricity tower collapsed during the early hours of April 27.
In response to the complaint, a dedicated team of the Wokha Police was immediately constituted, headed by the SDPO Wokha, Sangthing Khiam. The case was endorsed to UBI, Ginlunlal Tungnung, officer-in-charge of Wokha Police Station as Investigation Officer (IO).
According to the police, the initial investigation revealed that the nuts and bolts of the tower members were missing which were suspected to be removed and stolen by unknown miscreants, resulting in the structural collapse of the Tower.
The team listed suspects and scrap dealers in the surrounding areas for a thorough investigation. With the technical support and assistance from the Cyber Crime Cell, DEF Wokha, the team found two suspects.
Following these findings, a swift and stealthily operation was launched leading to a breakthrough. The main accused, Likho Kithan (32) from Yikhum village, presently residing at Tsumang “A” Colony, was booked on April 30.
The accused was booked under sections 379/336 IPC R/W U/S 3 Damage to Public Act R/W U/S 136 Electrical Act.
Wokha Police assured that every effort is being made to arrest all those who are connected with the case to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
Earlier, the Department of Power had informed that the tower had collapsed and that during an inspection by the department along with District Administration, it was discovered that the tack welded Nuts & Bolts of the tower were cut and removed, resulting in the collapse of the tower.
“This indicates a clear intention to steal the tower parts leading to disruption in the power supply by miscreants. It was also found that the adjacent towers (Tower numbers 15 and 17) are on the verge of collapse as the bracings of the towers have been stolen,” it said.
As per the department, the 132kV Kohima-Wokha-Sanis-Doyang transmission line was constructed for the evacuation of power from the Doyang HEP, serving as an important element of the State Power Transmission Grid with connectivity to the state capital. Unfortunately, the line could not be commissioned for many years due to theft of materials and damage to several towers at various locations between Wokha and Doyang.
The department had said that with great hardship, difficulty, and struggle, it restored the line in 2016 incurring huge expenditure by the state government in the process.
With the collapse of this tower, the department had cautioned that in the event of any line fault or power outages on the 132 kV Transmission line between Dimapur – Kohima – Karong (Manipur), the capital Kohima along with the whole of Kohima & Tseminyu districts & upper range of Wokha District including Wokha Town will plunge into total/ complete blackout.
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Further, the power supply would be adversely affected in the Upper Range of Wokha District & Tseminyu District in case of any breakdowns/outages between the Kohima – Wokha Transmission line.
The tower collapse due to theft was the second incident in April. On April 20, the 66 kV Double Circuit Transmission Line Tower collapsed near Pungro Town due to the theft of tower parts, disrupting the evacuation of power from the Likhimro Hydro Electric Project.
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