The Vellore Corporation conducted surprise raids against illegal water tapping in residential and commercial areas in Sainathapuram, Thursday. Seven motors were seized and the water pipeline to one house was disconnected.

In a raid carried out in wards 39 and 41 in Vellore, covering Virupatchipuram, Kamarajar Nagar and Muslim Colony in Sainathapuram, officials found seven residences using electric motors to draw extra water.

Electric motors with capacities ranging from 0.5 HP to 1.5 HP were seized from the residences during the surprise raid carried out by the officials from the corporation.

Subsequently, the officials tried carrying out a raid in a building that housed a tea stall in the front and a residence at the back.

However, the occupants disallowed them from entering the building.

Officials said, the occupants quarrelled with them and locked the house to prevent them from entering and seizing a 0.5-HP capacity electric motor.

Following this, the officials dug the earth and disconnected the water pipeline to the building.