Furious over ‘no helmet, no fuel’ rule, lineman cuts UP petrol pump's power
The BJP government in UP had asked district officials to implement a “no helmet, no fuel” rule for commuters who do not wear helmets from January 26.
A lineman employed by the Uttar Pradesh electricity department took immediate revenge by cutting off the power supply to a petrol pump in Hapur district, which refused him fuel for not wearing a helmet, NDTV reported.
The district administration asked the petrol pump to enforce the state government's recent proposals to prevent fatalities from road accidents. The BJP government had instructed the district officials to implement a “no helmet, no fuel” rule for commuters who do not wear helmets from January 26.
The bizarre incident occurred on Monday. An attendant from the petrol pump said that the lineman who came seeking fuel was not wearing a helmet, the report mentioned. On instructions from the district officials, the staff refused him fuel.
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“Our owner informed us about the district magistrate's order that no one should be given fuel if he/she is not wearing a helmet. When the lineman came, we refused to refuel his bike,” the report quoted the attendant saying.
The attendant left without a fuss but executed what he knew best. Minutes later, a sudden power cut hit the petrol pump staff.
After examining the CCTV footage in the area, the staff realised that the lineman had cut the power supply. In the video, the lineman can be seen climbing the pole and snapping the power line.
The power supply was restored within 30 minutes, and the fuel station owner filed a complaint with the local police station.
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UP Petroleum Association opposes rule
The Uttar Pradesh Petroleum Association has opposed the proposed “no helmet, no fuel” rule by raising concerns about its feasibility. The association argued that fuel station personnel are not equipped to enforce helmet compliance, fearing it could lead to confrontations and even loss of business.
“We can only assist but not enforce the rule on people. Ensuring compliance is the responsibility of the administration and police. We cannot force people to wear helmets when they come for fuel or turn them away,” Dharmendra Chaudhary, general secretary of UP Petroleum Association, told HT.
