AHMEDABAD: The Gandhinagar Local Crime Branch successfully apprehended four men for their alleged involvement in a string of metro cable thefts across multiple states in India.

This crucial operation resolved 35 cases of cable theft and shed light on the nefarious activities of this notorious group.The actions came in the wake of three thefts on the metro train routes between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in a fortnight. During the early hours of June 2, 2025, amidst an IPL match, the gang members cut and removed 700 metres of valuable cable near the Old Koba Metro Station by Koba Circle, amounting to a loss of Rs 17.85 lakh.The investigative teams analysed CCTV footage from the Netram Project in Gandhinagar, leading to the identification of two vehicles linked to the crime. Subsequent questioning of the vehicle owners and suspects, combined with information obtained from technical surveillance and sources, pointed towards a rented property in Kalol where the stolen cable was concealed.A raid on the Kalol property uncovered the gang members in the act of stripping the stolen cable.

Authorities seized a significant amount of stolen property, including 368.790 kilograms of copper wire valued at Rs 2.95 lakh and 130.210 kilograms of plastic cover pieces. In total, the recovered metro cable property amounted to Rs 2.96 lakh, with additional items such as a car and mobile phones bringing the total value of recovered property to Rs 8.32 lakh.Further interrogation and technical analysis revealed the involvement of 13 individuals in the metro cable theft scheme.

The gang members admitted to multiple thefts in different locations, including near the Shahpur Metro Station in Ahmedabad and the Gyaspur Metro Station in Vejalpur, Ahmedabad.The arrested gang members include Musharraf Mulejat, 32, Rashid Dhobi, 21, Rashid Ansari, 45, and Irshad Malik, 33, all residents of Bagpat in Uttar Pradesh. The absconding gang members are Shehzad Amruddin Malik, Aamir Akbar Malik, Arif Babu Malik, Ikhlakh Iqbal Malik, Imran Malik, Arif Rafiq, Sonu Babu Kasar, Arshad Asgar Malik, Bilal Qureshi, Raja Qureshi, and Masoom Yasin Malik.This relentless gang employed sophisticated tactics in each operation, including reconnaissance of metro routes, climbing metro pillars to cut cables, and transporting stolen goods for sale in different cities.Modus OperandiThe gang operated by travelling to cities with active metro lines. They stayed in hotels near railway stations and rented large four-wheel-drive cars for self-driving, often through services like Just Dial.

After securing a vehicle, they contacted local brokers to rent a house to hide stolen goods.Before a theft, they conducted reconnaissance of metro routes using their rented car. Their methods for reaching cables included using ropes and support from large trees near metro bridge pillars or climbing walls adjacent to metro pillars. They then cut metro cables with large cutters.Once stolen, the cables were taken to the rented house. There, they stripped the plastic and rubber coverings to extract the copper wires. These copper wires were then packaged and shipped by train from Ahmedabad Kalupur Railway Station to Delhi for sale.

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