Pics: RK Durga Digitals
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 5: Padubidri police received a complaint from Suzlon company on Monday August 4 that 5,600 kilograms of aluminum frames it had stocked at its site near Padubidri for setting up wind mills had been stolen since a week.

Even before the complaint was lodged, the Kaup police had intercepted a car carrying aluminum frames from Kotalkatte in Kaup on the night of Sunday August 3 and nabbed the thief. The police primarily suspect the involvement of security men engaged for guarding the company property. They found that one of the watchmen engaged in the project area was involved with this theft. The policemen also recovered a large cache of aluminum frames hidden behind bushes near Kanchinadka school. Padubidri police sub-inspector Mohan Kottary laid a trap for arresting the culprits, who stole aluminum frames costing about Rs 13 lac.

The Kaup police confiscated a car carrying 80 aluminum frames and a Maruti zen car besides arresting Manjunath Poojari (30), a resident of Punaroor from near Kotalkatte. The patrolling police had tried to stop the car as they noticed its movements to be suspicious. As it did not stop, the Kaup policemen chased it in a jeep and intercepted it near Kotalkatte. Even though all the occupants of the car including Manjunath escaped after stopping the car, the policemen succeeded in arresting Manjunath. Mushtaq and Imran, residents of Kanchinadka who escaped from the spot, are absconding.

This is the fifth case of theft from the Suzlon company compound. When the Kaup police took up the matter with Padubidri police, they came to know that Suzlon had lost aluminum frames costing several lacs of rupees through thefts. Kaup sub-inspector of police Joy Antony said that he suspects the involvement of a Mukka resident in the operations, as the confiscated car belongs to him. The arrested people were produced in the court.