Copper cable theft worth Rs 5 lakh from BSNL; gang poses as road contractors in broad daylight

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

In yet another audacious theft, a gang impersonating road contractors stole nearly 5 tonnes of copper cable worth Rs 5 lakh belonging to BSNL. The theft occurred in broad daylight along the stretch from Cidco Bus Stand to Mukundwadi, where the accused faked roadwork to avoid raising suspicion.

This incident has raised serious questions about public surveillance and deterrence, especially as it comes just days after police arrested a similar gang in the Kranti Chowk area. BSNL’s junior telecom officer, Datta Dubile (41), filed a complaint after being directed to inspect the cable ducts on August 2. During the inspection, Dubile and his team found the duct near Cidco Bus Stand corner open. A further check up to the ST Workshop revealed that around 1.5 km of copper cable had gone missing. Preliminary police investigation suggests the gang used a pulling machine to extract and transport the heavy cables. MIDC Cidco police have registered a case and initiated further inquiry.