Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 8: Four persons, who have been accused of stealing cables belonging to Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) and two other concerns, were arrested by the Suratkal police on Sunday August 7. A Maruti Omni van, a Maruti car, and some of the stolen items were seized from their possession.

Raviprasad (30), a native of Ujire, who works as an electrical contractor for MRPL, his helper named Thomas P J (28) from Addahole in Shiradi, and labourers, Saleem P S (31) from Kutloor Naravi, and Thomas alias Riju from Addahole, were arrested in this connection.

The policemen had received a complaint about the theft of copper cables worth Rs 13.85 lac kept in the SRU plant of MRPL on the night of August 4. The accused were held by the police, while transporting cables in a car from near Kuttettoor. The policemen said that the accused have also confessed to the theft of two gas cylinders, four fans, winding cables, and a cutting machine from Giri Winders, Katipalla, some months back. Out of these items, the gas cylinder was recovered from a rented shop belonging to Raviprasad near Padubidri, and other items from a shop in Beltangady, to which they were sold.

Reportedly, the Omni vehicle seized by the police belongs to Thomas, while the Maruti car is owned by Raviprasad. Suratkal station house officer, K U Belliappa, has registered a case, and is guiding the investigations.