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Nine held for stealing copper cables from drainage pipeline; ₹80.70 lakh material seized
Wanowrie police arrested nine people involved in stealing copper cables from BSNL drainage pipelines in the Hadapsar industrial area. The operation occurred from the night of May 8 into the early hours of May 9, with stolen material and vehicles valued at ₹80.70 lakh seized. Authorities named the accused and registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions.
Why It Matters
This incident highlights ongoing efforts by local police to curb theft of essential telecom infrastructure and the scale of losses from copper cable theft.
Timeline
4 Events
Case registered under BNS; investigation ordered
May 9, 2026
Police registered a case at Wanowrie police station under sections 303(2), 60, 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation in the case is being carried out by Sub-Inspector Alfaz Sheikh.
Accused named and residences listed
May 9, 2026
The arrested were identified as: Aslam Sagir Khan, 39, Tilak Nagar, West Delhi; Arif Bundu Khan, 40, Uttar Pradesh; Shoaib Haroon Khan, 25, Uttar Pradesh; Salman Idris Malik, 33, Delhi; Naresh Kumar Shrishivcharan, 43, Haryana; Navi Mohammad Shan Mohammad, 35, Uttar Pradesh; Anis Ansari Mohammad Giyasuddin, 22, Hadapsar; Afaq Ansari Rafik Ansari, 22, Hadapsar; Pravin Dadasaheb Bagul, 33, SRA Colony, Shinde Vasti, Hadapsar.
Arrests and seizures during raid
May 9, 2026
During the combing operation, police caught several suspects red-handed while allegedly stealing copper wires from drainage pipelines. Nine people were arrested. Stolen material and vehicles were seized, valued at ₹80.70 lakh.
Operation starts: combing raid in Hadapsar industrial area
May 8, 2026
The Wanowrie police began a combing operation at 11 pm on May 8 in the Hadapsar industrial area after a tip-off that a group was removing covers of drainage pipelines and extracting copper cables using a crane, with the cables believed to belong to BSNL. The operation continued into the early hours of May 9.