9 thieves, including the mastermind, arrested in a joint operation by Sanchore and Raniwara police. The gang confessed to 11 thefts across Jalore, Sirohi, Barmer, and Pali.
The incident dates back to the night of June 5, 2026, when thieves broke into the Discom store in Sankad.
Assistant Engineer Puneet Darji informed the police that the thieves broke through the store's wall and damaged 9 government transformers kept inside.
The thieves stole valuable copper, coils, nuts, bolts, and about 70 kilograms of burnt copper winding from inside the transformers.
After committing the crime, all the thieves loaded the stolen goods into a white Ertiga car and fled.
Upon receiving the information, the police from Sankad outpost and Raniwara station immediately sprang into action. A special blockade was set up across the area.
During the blockade, the Raniwara police signaled a suspicious Ertiga car to stop, but the driver sped away.
The police team chased the car for about 10 kilometers and apprehended two accused, Patulal and Shanu, along with the car in Lachhiwad.
The arrested accused revealed that their 6 accomplices were hiding in the nearby fields and bushes.
Following this lead, Sankad outpost in-charge Surendra Singh and his team immediately reached the spot and launched a search operation.
The police chased the remaining 6 accused on foot for about 15 kilometers through fields and bushes and apprehended them.
Interrogation of the arrested thieves revealed the name of the mastermind of this entire syndicate.
The gang's kingpin is Mohammad Nadeem Hussain, who runs a scrap warehouse in Chittorgarh.
With the special cooperation of the Chittorgarh police, the Jalore police cordoned off the area and arrested Nadeem Hussain as well.
Superintendent of Police Shailendra Singh Indoliya stated, "This is an organized gang that carried out thefts under the guise of a scrap business. The mastermind provided the vehicles, tools, and financial support for the thefts."
Nadeem's syndicate would conduct reconnaissance of government powerhouses (GSS) in Rajasthan and neighboring states.
Once a location was finalized, he would send his team with an advance payment and tools.
Nadeem was also responsible for disposing of the stolen goods and arranging bail for the thieves if they were caught.
During police remand, the accused confessed to 11 other crimes committed over the past year.
The gang had previously committed thefts in Ahore, Sayla, and Raniwara in Jalore.
Additionally, they had stolen transformers and valuable materials in Revdar of Sirohi, Ramji ka Gol of Barmer, and Gogunda of Udaipur.
The most shocking revelation during the interrogation was about a crime in the Pali district.
About 8 months ago, this gang had cut down and stolen an entire 375 KV electricity tower from the Sumerpur area.
The police have seized the Ertiga car used in the crime and digital evidence related to online transactions from the accused.
The stolen goods have not yet been recovered, and the police are making continuous efforts for their recovery.
The police are now working to identify other people connected to this network and the scrap dealers who bought the stolen goods.
This swift and effective action by the Jalore police has not only solved a major theft case but has also dismantled an organized interstate gang, putting a significant check on property-related crimes. Further revelations are expected as the investigation progresses.
*Edit with Google AI Studio
Pradeep Budawat
