KOCHI: Five migrant workers were arrested in connection with the theft of copper cables from the KSEB substation at Pezakkappilly, on Monday. Samidul Haque, 31, Ismail Ali, 40, Abdul Kasim, 45, Ikramul Haque, 26, Iman Ali, 30, all natives of Assam, were apprehended by Muvattupuzha Police.
The accused had been burning the plastic insulation off the stolen cables, melting the copper, and selling it in small quantities. Cables worth around Rs 10 lakh, including copper wiring from the solar panels and other installations, were stolen from the sub-station, said an officer with the Muvattupuzha Police.
Following the directive of Ernakulam rural district police chief M Hemalatha, an investigation team was formed and the accused were apprehended, and the stolen materials were recovered from various scrap shops.