The attack on Hindus in Raidhanpar village of Kutch on the night of 29th May is now taking a new turn after a fresh FIR filed by the power department confirmed that electricity supply to the area was deliberately disrupted around the same time the violence took place.
While many media reports initially portrayed the incident as a clash between two groups, OpIndia had earlier reported that the attack appeared to be planned and that the power supply had been cut before the violence started. The latest FIR has now brought official confirmation that the power line was tampered with, causing a blackout in several villages.
The complaint has been filed by PGVCL (Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Limited) at Madhapar Police Station. According to the complaint, some unknown persons intentionally interfered with an electricity line, leading to a power outage in five villages, including Raidhanpar. The timing of the power disruption matches the period during which the attack was taking place, making it an important part of the ongoing investigation.
FIR says power line was tampered with
According to the complaint filed by PGVCL officials, the 11 KV power line located between Raidhanpar and Nana Varnora villages was tampered with on the night of 29th May, 2026. The disruption reportedly took place between 10:30 pm and 11:15 pm.
As a result, electricity supply was interrupted in five villages connected to the KVNT-1 feeder of the Raidhanpar sub-station. These villages included Raidhanpar, Nana Varnora, Gadpadar, Traya and Paya. Residents of all five villages experienced a power outage for nearly 15 minutes.
The complaint states that PGVCL staff received information about the outage and immediately began efforts to restore electricity. However, when routine checks did not reveal any fault in the system, the staff started inspecting the line physically. During the inspection, officials found signs that the power line between Raidhanpar and Varnora had been deliberately disturbed using some external object.
Officials stated in the complaint that the disruption was not caused by a technical fault but was the result of human intervention. After identifying the problem, the electricity supply was restored through an alternative arrangement and a formal complaint was later filed with the police.
Third FIR registered in the Raidhanpar Case
The latest complaint by the electricity department has become the third FIR linked to the Raidhanpar violence.
Earlier FIRs were registered regarding the attack on Hindu villagers, stone pelting, and attempts to ram people with a vehicle. Another FIR was also registered against four Muslim youths for allegedly pelting stones at police personnel who had reached the spot to control the situation.
Now, with the electricity department filing a separate complaint regarding the disruption of power supply, investigators have another important angle to examine in the case.
What happened in Raidhanpar on 29th May?
The violence took place in Raidhanpar village of Bhuj taluka in Kutch district on the night of 29th May, 2026.
According to a complaint filed by local resident Darshan Baradia, the trouble started after a dispute involving the village priest and some Muslim men from the nearby village of Varnora. Following the initial argument, the group left the area but later returned with more people.
The complaint says that one of the accused, identified as Razak Siddique Mer, tried to drive a Bolero vehicle at high speed toward villagers. After that, more people arrived in several vehicles. The Muslim mob was reportedly carrying sticks, pipes and stones.
Soon afterwards, darkness spread across the village as the electricity supply stopped. The attackers then began pelting stones and assaulting villagers.
Several people were injured during the incident, including Darshan Baradia and Rajesh Chavda. The FIR states that Rajesh Chavda suffered serious injuries near his eye.
Police personnel also rushed to the village after receiving information about the violence. However, police vehicles also came under attack during the unrest. Following the incident, Madhapar Police registered a case against 23 named accused and several unidentified persons under different serious sections of the law.
PGVCL officer explains how the outage was detected
The complaint filed by V. K. Suvera, Deputy Engineer of PGVCL’s Bhuj Rural Sub-Division, has provided important details about the power outage.
Speaking to OpIndia, Suvera said that around 10:30 pm, officials at the sub-station received complaints that electricity had gone out in five villages, including Raidhanpar. Initially, attempts were made to restore supply directly from the sub-station by switching the system off and on again. However, power did not return.
Following this, linemen and technical staff were sent to inspect the network. During their investigation, they found that an external object had been thrown onto the power line between Varnora and Raidhanpar, affecting the electricity supply.
Suvera said there was nothing suspicious visible at the location when staff reached there, but it was clear that someone had deliberately interfered with the line. He also confirmed that the blackout occurred during the same period when the attack in Raidhanpar was taking place.
The police are now investigating the matter further.
OpIndia had earlier reported about the blackout
Soon after the incident, OpIndia had reported from the ground that electricity in the area had been cut before the attack began. According to the report, local residents and Hindu organisations had claimed that the attackers first ensured that the village was plunged into darkness before carrying out stone pelting and assaults.
At that time, these claims were based on eyewitness accounts and statements from local residents. Now, the FIR filed by the PGVCL deputy engineer has provided documentary support to those claims.
The complaint officially records that the 11 KV power line was tampered with and that power supply to five villages was disrupted during the same period in which violence was taking place in Raidhanpar.
Investigation Continues
The timing mentioned in the power department’s FIR closely matches the period during which Hindu villagers and police personnel were attacked in Raidhanpar. This has made the power outage an important part of the investigation.
With three separate FIRs now registered in connection with the incident, one related to the attack on villagers, another concerning attacks on police personnel, and the latest regarding the disruption of electricity supply, the investigation has expanded significantly.
Police are continuing to examine all aspects of the case, including the circumstances surrounding the power outage and its connection to the violence that unfolded in Raidhanpar on the night of 29th May.
