GUJRANWALA, Aug 21: Dacoits and robbers have targeted Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) grid stations, houses of employees, taking away electric wire, transformers and valuables worth million of rupees in four strikes within a few days.

Reports said 10 outlaws stormed into Ghakkar town Wapda subdivision office by scaling the boundary wall and tied line superintendent Malik Muhammad Munir and his staff with ropes. They loaded wire, transformers, meters and other equipment on a vehicle parked outside the office and escaped.

In another incident, six bandits entered the 132KV grid station on College Road, Gujranwala, and held the Gepco officials hostage at gunpoint. They took away wire, transformers, other equipment besides looting the houses of grid station employees.

Later eight armed men wearing police uniform forced their entry into Aimanabad grid station by scaling the boundary wall. They detained shift in-charge Rana Liaquat Ali and his staff at the control room and took away cash, and other hardware from the grid station.

In the fourth hit, about 20 outlaws, four of them in police uniform, stormed into 132KV grid station in Pasrur by scaling the boundary wall and tied watchmen with ropes. They loaded wire and other equipment worth Rs0.5 million on a vehicle and later sneaked into five houses of staffers.

They made off with gold jewellery and cash from women and mobile phones from staffers. The outlaws remained at grid station from 11:30pm to 3:30am.

Meanwhile, the Wapda hydro electric union have expressed concern over the robberies and demanded tight security at grid stations.