PVC cables stolen, damaged at Gujarat water supply store in Vadodara

Vadodara, May 29 (IANS) A case has been registered at Kapurai Police Station after unidentified miscreants broke into the Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s mechanical store on National Highway 48 in Vadodara, stealing and damaging PVC cables valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh.

The incident occurred at the mechanical sub-division office store located near the Circuit House, between Ajwa Chowkdi and Waghodia Chowkdi. The facility, which serves both Vadodara and Savli divisions, is guarded by two security personnel.

One of the guards discovered the back shutter of the store room open and promptly informed the Additional Assistant Engineer. Upon inspection, authorities found the store ransacked. PVC cables worth Rs 79,000 had been stolen, and additional cables valued at Rs 77,000 were found cut and damaged.

An initial application was filed with the police shortly after the incident. However, the formal complaint was delayed due to ongoing discussions with the insurance company. Now, acting on a complaint by Deputy Executive Engineer Saurabh Patel, police have registered a case under the Prevention of Theft and Damage to Public Property Act against unknown offenders and initiated legal proceedings.

Investigations are currently underway.

Meanwhile, on May 23, train services on the Ahmedabad Metro’s East-West corridor were temporarily disrupted after unidentified miscreants stole nearly 500 meters of copper cable, causing a significant power outage between Apparel Park and Old High Court stations.

An FIR was registered at Shahpur police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing the theft of copper cables estimated to be worth Rs 9 lakh. The incident took place when an unknown individual reportedly climbed the steel bridge between Shahpur and Old High Court stations and used a sharp tool to cut the power supply cables.

According to the FIR filed by Ganesh Pathuraddi, section engineer with the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC), the theft came to light after the 5.45 a.m. service completed its run, but the following train, scheduled for 6.15 a.m., came to a halt at Shahpur station. On inspection, Pathuraddi discovered that the copper cables mounted on the steel bridge brackets had been severed and stolen.

Investigators believe the culprit likely has technical knowledge, given the methodical way the cables were removed. A total of 20 copper cables, each approximately 25 metres long, were stolen -- amounting to nearly 500 metres in total. With the market rate of copper estimated at Rs 1,800 per metre, the financial loss is pegged at around Rs 9 lakh.

--IANS

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