Under-construction Power Grid looted in Odisha, 4 including one from Kolkata held

The Sambalpur police successfully busted a lootera gang involved in theft of electric equipment worth Rs 23L from an under-construction power grid near Charmal, being developed by a private contractor. 

Police have detained four suspects, including Alok Sahu, Mizen SK, and Hasan SK, and confiscated a truck loaded with the stolen materials. Another individual, Amit Jaiswal, was apprehended from Kolkata for allegedly purchasing the stolen items.

According to the case diary, the theft transpired in the dead of the night on  August 22at a construction site of the power grid. Alok Sahu, the alleged mastermind, orchestrated the operation remotely from Jharsuguda through phone calls.

Six of his accomplices executed the theft with the assistance of the labourers, utilising a truck for transporting the pilfered goods. Three other suspects are currently on the run, evading arrest.

“The dacoits barged into the under-construction power grid and threatened the security guard and locked all the labourers in one room. They snatched their mobile phones and later looted eight drums of conductor wires, cable wires, fans, and other equipment. The looted items were loaded on a truck and taken to Kolkata where the dacoits sold it to Amit Jaiswal,” informed Redhakhol SDPO Prashant Meher.

“All the looted items were worth around Rs 23L. We have managed to recover items to the tune of Rs 14-15L with the arrest of the four accused. Efforts are on to recover the remaining items and arrest the other culprits involved in the theft,” he added.

Meher stated that the police continue to investigate the matter and urged the public to provide any information that might aid in apprehending the remaining suspects.