Kalahandi: Kesinga Police have arrested five persons and recovered copper wires worth around Rs 10 lakh in connection with repeated thefts at the Vedanta Pump House sub-station in the Kesinga area of Kalahandi district, police said on Wednesday.
According to Kalahandi Superintendent of Police (SP) Nagaraj Devarakonda, the thefts were reported over the past eight days from three transformers at the sub-station, causing a total loss estimated at more than Rs 30 lakh. Following a complaint lodged at Kesinga police station, police launched a detailed investigation into the incident.
During the probe, police found that the accused were allegedly involved in stealing copper wires and transporting the stolen material in a small commercial vehicle (SCV). Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a police team intercepted the vehicle and apprehended the accused persons.
Police said they recovered around 480 kg of copper wire, valued at approximately Rs 10 lakh, along with Rs 2.5 lakh in cash from their possession.
SP Devarakonda said most of the arrested accused are residents of Mahasamund district in Chhattisgarh, while one person, allegedly involved in purchasing stolen goods, was arrested from Balangir.
Preliminary investigation suggests the involvement of an inter-state network with links extending to Chhattisgarh. Police suspect that more persons may be part of the racket, and further arrests are likely.
Further investigation is underway, police said.
