DADU, July 1 Hundreds of people took out a procession and staged a demonstration on the Dadu-Larkana railway track in protest against 14-hour loadshedding and issuance of detection and inflated bills.

Over 12 protesters broke the doors of Hesco offices, burnt furniture, computers and record in the offices of Hesco superintending engineer.

On the call of the Jeay Sindh Tahreek (Sarki) district chapter, a shutter-down strike was observed in Dadu against the prolonged loadshedding in the area.

Carrying banners and raising slogans against Hesco, protesters started the march from the municipal park. They arrived at the railway crossing where they blocked the railway track for three hours and burnt tyres there.

Ten other processions also joined the rally at the superintending engineer office, DPO chowk and press club.

Protesters surrounded the offices of SE, RO and XEN, pelted the building with stones and removed sign boards. However, SE Ghulam Hussain Samoo and XEN Najamuddin Abro managed to escape from the offices.

A few protesters covering faces with cloth entered the offices of Hesco, set ablaze computer, office files and broke furniture.

They also beaten an employee, Wali Mohammad, when he came out from the office of XEN during the attack.

SHO Dadu Town police station Ghulam Mohammad Memon got him freed from the protesters.

Chairman of the Wapda Hydro labour Union of Dadu chapter, Mohammad Warial Mirani, and sub divisional chairman, Zameer Korejo, also came out from the Hesco offices under police protection.

Protesters marched towards the DPO chowk and staged a demonstration there.

They were led by district president of the Jeay Sindh Tahreek (Sarki) Mujeeb Panhwar, Nazeer Leghari of the Awami Tahreek and Bashir Ahmed of the PPP-SB.

Mujeeb Panhwar claimed that Hesco officials were carrying out 14 to 16-hour loadshedding in Dadu unofficially and were issuing detection and inflated bills. He alleged that Hesco officials were also providing illegal connections to ice factories.

Chairman of the Hesco central labour union of Dadu, Mohammad Warial Mirani, told this correspondent that to record protest and stage demonstrations was the right of every citizen, but storming the Hesco offices was wrong.

He said that service files of employees, important record, computers and furniture were burnt, and employees were beaten up. He condemned this act of protesters.

Meanwhile, protesters also staged a demonstration outside the DPO office.

Dadu DSP Fida Hussain Leghari and Dadu town SHO Ghulam Mohammad Memon held talks with protesters in the DPO office. But Hesco officers did not attend the meeting.

Hesco spokesman Mohammad Sadiq Kubar said that Hesco had launched a drive against power theft in Dadu town and surrounding areas and some elements involved in the power theft had attacked the Hesco office in retaliation.

He said that a case would be lodged against those who had attacked Hesco offices.

He said that XEN of Dadu Najamuddin Abro asked the DPO and DSP to provide police protection to the Hesco offices but they did not help and did not deploy police.

He said that there was a shortfall 480 megawatt in the Hesco system where 1,500 megawatts were needed. He said that six to eight-hour loadshedding was carried out officially.

SHO of Dadu town Ghulam Mohammad Memon said that he had not received any letter from Hesco officers for lodging an FIR.

SE of Hesco circle of Dadu, Ghulam Hussain Samoo, said that he had sent a letter to Dadu town police station for lodging an FIR. The power supply to Mehar, Johi and KN Shah remained suspended from Dadu during the protest.

Later the power supply was restored in Dadu.