Stolen transmission lines seized, two arrested

Three mega coils were being taken from Mirpur to Gujranwala.

MIRPUR:

The city police on Friday recovered stolen electricity transmission lines worth Rs2 million as they were being smuggled out of Mirpur to Gujranwala. The police also arrested two suspects.

Acting on a tip-off, the police blocked the Mirpur-Dina Highway at Chitterpari. They stopped a truck carrying three mega coils of high-tension wire belonging to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Electricity Department, Additional SHO Zafar Haider Shah told The Express Tribune.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the wire was stolen from the department and was being shifted to Gujranwala.

The two arrested suspects are Ghulam Sarwar, the truck driver and resident of AJK, and Muhammad Hanif, resident of Taxila.

The suspects told police that Haji Akram, an official of the AJK electricity department, had gotten the truck loaded with the wire. They added that Akram had told them that there was no need of a permit or receipt for the wire.

“He assured us that the truck will not be stopped and will get through [the last exit point] at Mangla Bridge,” the suspects told the police.

Shah said they have registered a case and will make more arrests once their investigations are complete.

Representatives of the AJK electricity department were not available for a comment despite repeated attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2012.