Cable theft halts metro services in Gandhinagar, police probe underway

Gandhinagar, June 3 Nearly 700 meters of power supply cable used for the metro rail was stolen, causing a disruption in metro services in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, said officials here, adding that a police probe has been launched.

The Infocity Police Station has registered a case of theft amounting to Rs 17.85 lakh, and a search is now underway to track down the group of thieves responsible.

The brazen theft has raised questions about security measures in the state capital. In what appears to be a well-planned operation, the thieves targeted public infrastructure -- this time striking the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar Metro line.

According to police sources, Mayur Joshi, a section engineer with Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited, filed the official complaint.

Joshi has been managing power traction systems for the metro for the past ten years. The incident came to light when traction power controller Amar Patel alerted Joshi that an electric supply failure was preventing a metro train from moving between Koba Circle Metro Station and Old Koba Metro Station.

Upon investigation, it was found that unknown miscreants had used sharp tools to cut and steal the electric cables directly from the tracks.

A total of 28 copper cables were stolen from the side of the metro rail track near the duck bridge between Koba Circle and Koba Metro Station. The stolen cables measure a combined length of approximately 700 meters, with an estimated value of Rs 17.85 lakh.

Infocity Police have filed an FIR against unknown individuals and launched an investigation.

Authorities are also probing the possibility of insider involvement, given the technical precision with which the theft was executed.

Gujarat has witnessed several high-profile thefts involving public infrastructure in recent years, raising serious concerns about security and law enforcement in urban areas.

On May 23, train services on the Ahmedabad Metro’s East-West corridor were temporarily disrupted after unidentified miscreants stole nearly 500 meters of copper cable, causing a significant power outage between Apparel Park and Old High Court stations.

An FIR was registered at Shahpur police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing the theft of copper cables estimated to be worth Rs 9 lakh. The incident took place when an unknown individual reportedly climbed the steel bridge between Shahpur and Old High Court stations and used a sharp tool to cut the power supply cables.

In March 2024, a major theft was reported in Surat where miscreants stole over 500 meters of underground copper cables used for city street lighting, plunging multiple areas into darkness and disrupting traffic safety systems. Similarly, in Ahmedabad, thieves had earlier targeted the Sabarmati Riverfront project by stealing decorative lighting cables and water pump wiring, resulting in damage worth several lakhs.

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