Jaipur, Aug 28 (IANS) Rajasthan Police have busted an interstate gang allegedly involved in stealing high‑tension power cables worth an estimated Rs 5–6 crore. Twelve members of the gang were arrested in a joint operation by the District Special Team (DST), Sikar, and Sadar Neem Ka Thana police. Vehicles allegedly used in the thefts, including a Thar, car, pickup truck and two motorcycles, were recovered, along with two iPhones reportedly purchased with proceeds from the stolen cables.
Superintendent of Police Praveen Nayak Noonawat said the accused confessed to stealing cables along approximately 103 kilometres of the 765 kV D/C Sikar‑II to Narela transmission line being developed by PowerGrid Wataman Transmission Limited. The thefts occurred within the jurisdiction of Sadar Neem Ka Thana and Dabla police stations. The accused admitted involvement in dozens of cable theft incidents.
The crackdown was carried out under the direction of SP Praveen Nayak Noonawat following instructions from Rahul Prakash, Inspector General of Police, Jaipur Range. Police teams supervised by Additional SP (Neem Ka Thana) Lokesh Meena and Circle Officer Sushil Maan analysed CCTV footage, monitored suspects and used technical intelligence to track the gang.
The investigation began after Dipankar Debnath, Assistant Manager at Skipper Limited, Neemkathana, filed a complaint on August 9, 2026, reporting thefts of conductors, wires and other transmission‑line material from four sites between July 11 and August 6. Police inspections and intelligence gathering led to the identification and arrest of 12 suspects.
The arrested accused include Dheeraj Bagadiya (26), Mohit Jakhar (20), Lokesh Mehraniya (20), Vijay Kumar Mehraniya (20), Sachin Kumar Saini (19), Deepak Meena (23), Rahul Yadav (21), Hanuman Meena alias Abhi (19), Jagdish Bawariya (38), Monu Jat, Himanshu Nayak (19) and Sunil Gurjar (24).
Police said further interrogation is expected to shed light on dozens of suspected high‑tension wire thefts and the gang’s wider network. Investigators are tracing where the stolen cables were sold or disposed of, identifying buyers and associates, and probing possible links to other property‑related crimes. The search for additional suspects continues.
–IANS
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