LUCKNOW, June 28 -- Power outages across several parts of Lucknow late Saturday night and early Sunday triggered protests, road blockades and vandalism at electricity substations, highlighting the growing strain on the city's power infrastructure amid soaring electricity demand.

Residents gathered outside substations in Ambedkar, Talkatora, Rajajipuram, Chinhat and Indira Nagar after prolonged outages left thousands without electricity during the humid night. According to power department officials, a surge in electricity consumption caused feeder and underground cables to overheat, forcing load management and power rostering in several areas.

At the Laulai power house in Chinhat, angry consumers allegedly pelted stones and attempted to...