Two electricity department employees in Telangana were allegedly tied to a pillar by some residents upset over frequent power cuts before a senior official and police intervened and rescued them in a village in Medak district, police said on Sunday.
Two bill collectors of the electricity Transmission Corporation had gone to the village in Alladurg mandal in Medak district on Saturday in connection with electricity bills, they said.
The villagers alleged frequent power cuts and poor response to their complaints and that there was only one helper (technician) to look after four villages and demanded a separate helper for their village.
The bill collectors reportedly told the villagers that the issue was not under their purview and that they would inform higher officials.
The angry protesters allegedly tied them to a cement pillar of an under-construction building with a rope. A bill collector informed a lineman and the latter rushed to the place but his efforts to pacify the villagers were in vain.
Later, an assistant engineer of Transco and a sub-inspector of police reached the spot. The assistant engineer assured the villagers that their issue would be resolved as early as possible following which they released the two bill collectors.
A case has been registered against five people following a complaint by the two employees, police added.