The local crime branch (LCB) of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Rural Police busted a gang of thieves who had stolen high-tension copper wire from electricity poles in the Shendra MIDC area.

The high-tension copper wire, worth ₹49 lakh, was stolen from the electricity poles between Loahuko Phata and Husung Company in the Shendra MIDC area. A case was registered with the Karmad police station on February 17.

The Karmad police and the LCB began parallel investigations into the case. Under the guidance of PI Satish Wagh, the investigation commenced. As the wire was high-tension, there was a possibility of accidents while cutting the wire. The LCB investigated this angle and discovered that scrap thief Santosh Bansi Jadhav (Shahnagar, Chikalthana) had sustained burns on his hands and face and was being treated in a private hospital. The police took him into custody last Thursday, and during interrogation, he confessed that he had stolen the wire along with his accomplices. He further revealed that he had sold the wire to scrap vendors including Asad Sattar Qureshi (Sillekhana), Salim Khan (Bharat Bazar, Chikalthana), and Ganesh Nikalje (Shahnagar, Chikalthana). The police arrested 15 people, including the scrap vendors.

Wires seized

The police seized 42 meters of copper wire worth ₹8.13 lakh, cash ₹2.70 lakh, a motorcycle and a tempo worth ₹4 lakh, and mobile phones worth ₹72,000, totaling ₹15.55 lakh.

The police action was executed under the guidance of SP Dr. Vinaykumar Rathod and Additional SP Annapurna Singh, by PI Satish Wagh, API Pawan Ingale, Namdev Shirsat, Kasim Shaikh, Shrimant Bhalerao, Valmik Nikam, Suresh Sonawane, Shivanand Bange, Narendra Khandare, Ashok Wagh, Vijay Dhumal, Anand Ghateshwar, and others.