Bengaluru: In a major breakthrough, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) copper wire theft case in Bengaluru has been cracked, with the Karnataka Police arresting an interstate gang involved in stealing telecom infrastructure worth lakhs of rupees. The accused, who had been operating in a highly organised and deceptive manner, were nabbed by the Yeshwanthpur police in what officials described as a “cinematic operation.”
The arrested individuals have been identified as Ravi Chavhan, Sandeep, and Syed Jahed, all residents of Uttar Pradesh. Police investigations have revealed that the trio was not limited to Bengaluru but had carried out similar thefts across multiple states, targeting telecom infrastructure, particularly valuable copper wiring.
According to police sources, the gang adopted a clever strategy to avoid suspicion. The accused would dress in blue uniforms resembling those worn by BSNL staff, enabling them to freely access sensitive areas such as telephone exchanges and roadside internet junction boxes. Posing as maintenance workers, they would approach these locations during the day, making their activities appear legitimate to the public and passersby.
Once at the site, the gang used tools such as pickaxes, hammers, screwdrivers, and cutters to break open iron poles and underground boxes. They would then extract copper wires and other valuable modules used in telecom connectivity. These components, particularly copper, fetch a high price in the grey market, making them a lucrative target for organised theft.
Investigators said the gang’s operations were meticulously planned. The accused would travel between cities by air, choosing their targets in advance. After arriving in Bengaluru, they carried out a series of thefts in localities such as Sadashivanagar, Malleswaram, Mathikere, and Yeshwanthpur on July 17 and 19. Their ability to move swiftly between locations helped them evade immediate detection.
After committing the thefts, the gang transported the stolen materials out of the city using trains to avoid suspicion, as railway transport provided a relatively low-profile means of moving goods across states. This combination of air travel for quick movement and rail transport for smuggling stolen items made the operation both efficient and difficult to trace.
The breakthrough came after repeated complaints from BSNL officials, who had been grappling with frequent disruptions and losses due to the thefts. Acting on these complaints, Yeshwanthpur police launched a detailed investigation, analysing CCTV footage from multiple locations. By tracking suspicious movements and identifying patterns, the police were able to zero in on the accused.
A coordinated operation was then carried out to apprehend the suspects. Police sources said that the arrests were made after carefully monitoring the gang’s activities and movements. The accused were taken into custody and later remanded to judicial custody.
Officials noted that the gang’s activities had not only caused significant financial losses to BSNL but had also disrupted telecom services in several areas, affecting both residents and businesses. The damage to public infrastructure raised concerns about security and the vulnerability of essential communication networks.
With the arrest of the accused, BSNL officials have expressed relief, hoping that the crackdown will deter similar crimes in the future. However, police believe that the gang may be part of a larger network involved in organised telecom theft across the country.
Further investigation is underway to determine whether more individuals are involved and to trace the channels through which the stolen materials were sold. Authorities are also examining links to scrap dealers and interstate networks that facilitate such illegal activities.
