Villagers in Deogarh tied three electricity department workers to a pole after days of power disruption triggered frustration across several villages.
The incident occurred in Dudhianali village under Tileibani block on Thursday.
Locals said power supply had remained cut off for four days following a severe Kalbaishakhi storm that damaged electric poles and lines in Dholpada, Dudhianali, and Talakundi panchayats. Despite repeated requests, repair work did not begin promptly, fueling anger among residents.
When the workers arrived to restore electricity, villagers surrounded them and tied them to a pole, demanding that senior officials visit the site immediately. The protest reflected growing resentment over the delayed restoration and the hardships caused by the outage.
Residents complained that the power failure had ruined crops and vegetables, adding to their distress amid the intense summer heat. Police from the Kansar outpost reached the spot and began an inquiry. Before officers arrived, villagers released the workers unharmed.
Officials said the department has taken note of the incident and assured faster restoration of electricity in affected areas.
