PataN police have succeeded in apprehending three accused involved in stealing water supply pipes and seized the stolen material along with three trucks amounting to Rs 50 lakh from them. The arrested have been identified as Sanjay Bhai Koli (27), son of Prabhu Bhai Koli, resident of Kidiya Nagar village, Gagodar, Kutch district in Gujarat, Raviraj Makwana (20), son of Kamlesh Bhai Makwana, resident of Bhimasar village, Kutch district, Gujarat and Ramji Bhimani (20), son of Dana Bai Bhimani, resident of Bhimasar village, in Gujarat. According to police, on January 20, 2026, Anup Babu Mishra, Manager (P&A) of AFCONS Infrastructure Limited, lodged a written complaint at Patan Police Station.

 

He stated that AFCONS Infrastructure Limited is executing civil works, including laying of water supply pipelines, under the Jabalpur Multi-Village Water Supply Scheme for MP Jal Nigam Maryadit in the tehsils of Shahpura, Sihora, Patan, Panagar and Majholi.

 

The complaint informed that pipes and other materials were stored in a six-acre yard located between village Rosra and village Nunsar near Dali Dhaba. During the intervening night of January 19 and 20, 2026, unknown persons stole 83 pipes, valued at around Rs 14.88 lakh, from the company’s Udna store yard. Taking a serious note into the case, Superintendent of Police Sampat Upadhyay (IPS) directed immediate tracing and arrest of the accused.

 

Under the guidance of Additional SP (Rural) Suryakant Sharma and SDOP Patan Lokesh Dabar, a team was formed under the leadership of SHO, Patan Gopindra Singh Rajput. The police team examined CCTV footage and collected information from toll plazas on highways leading out of Jabalpur. During investigation, it was found that the trucks carrying the stolen pipes were heading towards Bhopal via the Jabalpur–Bhopal highway.

 

A team was immediately dispatched in that direction. Near Obedullaganj, the police intercepted and seized three trucks loaded with stolen pipes. On questioning, the truck drivers confessed to their involvement in the theft. The trucks bearing registration numbers GJ-07-TU-0671, GJ-39-T-5802 and GJ-12-BZ-4534 were seized along with 65 stolen pipes. The accused were arrested following due legal procedure. Further investigation is underway to trace other accused involved in the crime and to recover two additional trucks used in the theft.