Thousands enraged by power cuts amid north Indian heat wave riot and set sub-stations on fire
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Officials say thousands of people enraged by power cuts during an extreme heat wave have been rioting across northern India, setting electricity sub-stations on fire and taking power company officials hostage.
The impoverished state of Uttar Pradesh has never had enough power for its 200 million people, and normally many receive only a few hours a day. But recent temperatures that soared to 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47 Celsius) have caused power demand to spike, triggering unscheduled power cuts that shut down fans, water pumps and air conditioners.
A state utility official Narendra Nath Mullick says thousands ransacked an electricity substation Friday near the state capital of Lucknow, taking several workers hostage until police intervened Saturday morning.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Elsewhere, angry crowds set fire to electricity substations in Gonda and Gorakhpur.