Palakkad (Keralam) | Unidentified persons stole eight electricity fuses from a transformer at Thriveni Nagar here, leaving people without power amid ongoing power cuts in the state, residents said on Friday.

The residents have lodged a complaint with the Palakkad Town South Police, which has started a preliminary investigation into the incident.

The power supply was disrupted on Thursday night, residents said.

"Initially we assumed that it was part of the power cut. However, as the electricity connection was not restored even after two hours, we contacted the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) office," a resident said.

When KSEB officials reached the spot, they found that the transformer had no fuses.

"As many as eight fuses have been lost. Earlier, there was a similar incident in which someone removed the fuse and kept it on the ground," the resident said.

Police officials said they were conducting a preliminary probe into the incident.

KSEB is also likely to lodge a complaint over the theft of the fuses, based on which a case would be registered, officials said.

Police and residents suspect the involvement of anti-social elements behind the incident.

Police are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify those behind the theft, they added.