Inter-state gang of thieves busted, 8 held

The Sadar Police Abohar have busted an inter-state gang of thieves active in Punjab and Rajasthan. Eight suspects, including a scrap merchant who allegedly used to buy the stolen goods at a throwaway price, have been arrested.

Preliminary investigation indicated that the gang members have allegedly been stealing solar plates, water motors and other goods from fields, along with bikes. A case has been registered against them under various Sections of the BNS and investigation has been initiated. They will be presented in the court tomorrow, requesting remand for interrogation. Police officials believe that many cases of theft will be revealed by interrogating them.

The police have been facing criticism due to increased incidents of theft of water motors, solar plates, electric wires and other old iron gadgets from fields in various villages of Balluana constituency.

Police Station in-charge Ravinder Singh said the investigation resulted in the arrest of four residents of Jammu Basti here. They were identified as Bawajit Singh Bawa, Jugnu alias Jogi, Yuvraj and Charanjit. During interrogation, police arrested three of their other accomplices identified as Vinod Kumar, Sunny and Mahavir — residents of Burjmuhar village. It came to light that the three used to steal bikes from Rajasthan.

All of them claimed that they used to sell the stolen items to Surinder Kumar alias Kuki, a scrap merchant located on the Abohar-Fazilka Road.

On the basis of interrogation, police arrested Kuki and recovered two stolen bikes, 10 old iron girders, solar plates, water motors and copper wires stolen from electricity meters installed in the fields.

It had also emerged earlier that some scrap merchants were encouraging thieves — most of them drug addicts — by buying stolen goods without verifying credentials, promoting crime across the sub-division. Items stolen from the town area were reportedly sold to scrap merchants in surrounding villages.