Kongaoan Police Bust Iron Rod Theft Racket in Bhiwandi, Seize Goods Worth Rs 43.89 Lakh
The Kongaoan police have busted an alleged racket involved in stealing iron rods from heavy vehicles travelling along the Mumbai-Nashik Highway and the Bhiwandi-Thane bypass, booking 16 people and seizing two trucks along with goods collectively valued at around Rs 43.89 lakh near Rajnoli Naka in Bhiwandi.
Acting on specific information regarding the illegal unloading and sale of steel rods from two trucks at the Prathamesh Compound of Aremex Logistics Centre near Rajnoli Naka, a team from the Kongaoan Police Station reached the site and seized the steel consignment along with the two vehicles.
According to police, members of the gang targeted transport vehicles carrying steel rods, allegedly operating in connivance with certain truck drivers. The rods were routinely unloaded from the heavy vehicles under the cover of night and subsequently sold through unauthorized channels.
During the preliminary investigation, police identified Vikesh Kumar, also known as Monu Yadav, as one of the key persons behind the operation. The police stated that he allegedly coordinated the theft with several associates, identified as Parshuram Yadav, Bipin Tiwari, Noor Shaikh, Deep Singh, Adarsh Singh, Rajveer Singh, Bagesh Singh, Sandeep Singh, Lavkush Singh, Anup Singh, Suraj Verma, Sandeep Gupta, Rupesh Waghela, and truck drivers Surendra Yadav and Vishnu.
The case was officially registered following a complaint lodged by Kongaoan Police Station head constable Arvind Gorle. Following the raid, Rupesh Waghela, 29, a resident of Arihant City in Bhiwandi, was served a notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
The ongoing investigation has been entrusted to Assistant Police Inspector Arun Gholap of the Kongaoan Police Station. Investigators are currently focusing on identifying the buyers of the stolen steel rods, examining whether local traders purchased the consignments with knowledge of the thefts, and tracing the complete supply network linked to the racket.
