JHARSUGUDA: Jharsuguda police on Sunday arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in organised theft of electrical aluminium conductors supplying power to rural water supply and lift irrigation projects.
Police said accused Abdul Khyyam (46) of Telibhata and Ashraf Raza (26) of Purunabasti in Jharsuguda, Abdul Rahim (35) of Jharkhand and Ajmail Mir (48) of West Bengal were members of a major interstate scrap theft syndicate.
Police seized a pickup truck, six bundles of stolen aluminium conductors, a wire cutter believed to have been used in the crime, and plastic rope from their possession. The accused were arrested on the basis of a case registered in Kolabira police station following a complaint lodged by the staff of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS), Raghunathpali.
During investigation, police found that the gang had stolen around 2,000 metre of 11 KV aluminium conductor from the RWSS project at J Pundkimal under Jhirlapali feeder. They had also allegedly stolen another 1,600 metre of 11 KV conductor from Badbahal RWSS, Ghanadihi lift irrigation (LI) point under Jhirlapali feeder and Jianjore LI point under Raghunathpali feeder.
Jharsuguda SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra said the offences were executed in a planned and organised manner by members of the interstate gang. The accused confessed to their involvement in the case and admitted to committing similar thefts in other areas. The stolen conductors were hidden in a scrap godown at Purunabasti in Jharsuguda.
The accused were produced in court. Further investigation is underway to apprehend the remaining accused, the SP added.
