Copper Worth ₹15 Lakh Stolen from Hata Power Grid

Armed Thieves Loot Copper Wires from Potka Transformer

A gang of 10 armed robbers cut open a transformer at Hata power grid, stealing copper wires worth ₹15 lakh.

Key Points:

• Thieves used gas cutters to steal copper wires overnight.
• Three employees were tied up and their phones snatched.
• Police yet to arrive at the crime scene at the time of reporting.

JAMSHEDPUR – A gang of 10 unidentified thieves looted copper wires worth ₹15 lakh from an old transformer at the Hata power grid in Potka. The incident took place late at night, with the thieves using gas cutters to dismantle the transformer body over a span of six hours.

The robbers, armed with pistols and knives, overpowered three staff members on duty—Sonu Kunkal, button operator Nayan Mall, and a guest of Nayan. They forcibly entered the grid around 11:30 PM, hid in the bushes, and ambushed Sonu when he came to close the main gate.

Employees Tied Up, Phones Snatched

The criminals took the employees to the switch room, tied them up, and seized their mobile phones before beginning their operation. Over the next six hours, they meticulously cut through the transformer casing and extracted valuable copper wiring.

After completing their theft, the robbers fled, leaving the stolen mobile phones behind at the site.

Discovery and Police Response

Around 5:30 AM, another employee arrived for duty and found the gate locked. Hearing no response from inside, he climbed over the gate and discovered his bound colleagues. He immediately freed them and alerted the police and senior officials.

As of the time of reporting, the police had yet to arrive at the crime scene.