Two Held in Theft at BSNL Namunaghar Exchange; Equipment Seized

A case of theft reported at the BSNL Telephone Exchange in Namunaghar on July 17 was solved within 24 hours, resulting in the arrest of two accused persons and recovery of stolen items valued at approximately ₹75,000. The prompt action was taken by the staff of Police Station Ograbraj based on field inputs, forensic examination, and local surveillance.

According to the complaint received, the incident occurred in the early hours of July 17, 2025. Around 03:56 am, the telecom technician at the BSNL Exchange noticed that the server system had suddenly shut down. Upon physical inspection, it was found that both the main entrance and an internal wooden door of the telephone exchange had been broken open. The technician further discovered that a Godrej air conditioning unit (including both indoor and outdoor components) and an inverter with a battery, property belonging to M/s Mehak Cable Network, had been stolen from the switch room of the exchange.

Following the report, a team was immediately formed to investigate the matter. The team included Head Constables S. Yamant Rao and Ashok Roy, Police Constables Abubacker Siddique, Jayanta Kumar Biswas, Bijender Gop, and PC (Driver) Abdul Rahman. They were assisted by the Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) and the Fingerprint Unit, who conducted a detailed forensic examination of the crime scene. CCTV footage from the surrounding area was carefully reviewed, and intelligence was gathered from the picketing staff stationed at the Ograbraj junction.

During routine checks in the area, a black Swift Dzire vehicle (bearing registration number AN01 J 7170) was found transporting an air conditioning unit and was reportedly heading towards Baratang. This vehicle raised suspicion, and the team traced it back to the owner. Upon being called in for interrogation, the vehicle owner, identified as a resident of Teylerabad, and his brother-in-law, Divesh Ram, both admitted to their involvement in the theft.

Subsequently, the stolen items, including the AC unit, inverter, and battery, were recovered. The vehicle used in the commission of the theft was also seized as part of the evidence.

The investigation and subsequent actions were carried out under the leadership of Inspector Stalin NS, Station House Officer of PS Ograbraj, with guidance from Ajay Kumar Rai, SDPO Bambooflat, and overall supervision by Manoj Kumar Meena, Senior Superintendent of Police, South Andaman District.

The public has been urged to report any suspicious activities in their locality to the Police Control Room via emergency number 112 or landline 03192-232100. The police have assured that the identity of informants will remain confidential.