Muzzafarnagar police bust transformer theft gang after gunfire encounter, arrest four

Police in Muzzafarnagar district have busted a major transformer theft gang after a dramatic encounter that left two accused injured by gunfire. Four members of the gang have been arrested by the Sikheda police station team, which also recovered stolen transformer materials, illegal weapons, and burglary tools from their possession.

The incident unfolded on August 22 when a Sikheda police team was conducting routine patrols and checking suspicious persons and vehicles in the area. Officers noticed suspicious activity on a pathway leading from Bhikki Bhandur Road toward agricultural fields. When the police team approached, the accused opened fire. Police retaliated and cordoned off the area, during which Salman and Janu alias Jan Mohammad were injured in the crossfire. The two wounded men were admitted to hospital for treatment, while Wasid and Khushnaseeb were apprehended during the combing operation.

The police recovered five sacks filled with valuable metals and materials stolen from inside transformers, along with tools used to break open transformers, keys, spanners, one bicycle, two illegal country-made pistols of 315 bore, two live cartridges, and two empty shells. During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to toppling transformers, extracting copper, aluminum, coils, and other precious materials from inside, and selling them to scrap dealers.

According to police, the gang had carried out several transformer thefts in recent months across forested areas of Bhikki Bhandur, Kutubpur, Tajpur, Tejlahera, and Khudda. Police claim to have successfully solved five electricity theft cases through this operation. Cases have been registered against the arrested accused under relevant sections, and further legal action is underway. Police are also gathering information about the detailed criminal history of the accused. The operation was carried out under the supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Verma and led by City Superintendent of Police Amrit Jain, Circle Officer Nai Mandi Sunil Kumar, and Station House Officer Sikheda Vijay Kumar.