HYDERABAD, June 14: Hundreds of residents, including women and children, of Gulshah Bukhari, Abbasi Colony, Pinjra Pole and other localities staged a demonstration outside the office of the XEN and revenue officer of Hesco, Phuleli division, here on Friday.

They were protesting against the issuance of detection bills, humiliating attitude of the meter readers towards the women folk and unscheduled loadshedding and frequent breakdown in power supply.

The consumers complained that there were a large number of consumers who had not taken legal connections and were stealing power through ‘Kunda’ but no action had ever been taken against them as they did this in connivance with the Hesco staff.

On the other hand, they said, those who paid their bills regularly were issued detection bills.

The protesters said that the meter readers and the linemen in absence of the male members visited their homes and harassed the female members on the pretext that the meters were running slow.

They said they had nothing to do with meters as the same had been installed by the Hesco people themselves outside their homes on poles and other convenient places.

As the protesters tried to storm the gate of the XEN’s office, the officials called out the police. Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

DEATH CONDOLED: The president of the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Yousuf Suleman, members of the executive committee and former presidents of the Chamber, at an urgent meeting held here on Thursday, have expressed profound sorrow and grief over the demise of Seth Hidayatullah, who was a former president of the chamber and Wali Bhai Rajputana Hospital.