Handwara, Jul 29: A village wide electricity disconnection in Gonipora area of Handwara over unpaid power bills has triggered a controversy, with Langate MLA Sheikh Khursheed accusing the Power Development Department of penalising consumers who had already cleared their dues. The department disconnected electricity to the village after finding that a large number of consumers had pending bills. The MLA said the action unfairly affected genuine consumers who had regularly paid their electricity bills. He said the department should have disconnected only the defaulting connections instead of cutting power to the entire village. He termed the village wide disconnection a case of collective punishment.