Rs.36 lakh equipment recovered

Mandya: Arakere Police have arrested two persons on charges of stealing spare parts of JCB machines and have recovered equipment including AP Hydraulic Rock Breaker and a battery among others worth about Rs.36.8 lakh from them.

The arrested have been identified as 29-year-old C. Raju of Cauvery Doddi village in Ramanagaram district, 32-year-old Perumal, a native of Tamil Nadu and M.K. Pradeep of Moolenahalli village in Arakere hobli, Srirangapatna taluk.

The accused, on July 15, had stolen a Atlas Copco Hydraulic Rock Breaker and two batteries worth about Rs.18.8 lakh from the quarry belonging to Jabbar and Ravi at Hangarahalli village near Arakere and Jabbar had lodged a complaint with Arakere Police on July 18 in this regard.

Arakere Police, who had registered a case in this regard, had taken up the investigation.

Following instructions from SP Radika, ASP B.N. Lavanya and Srirangapatna Dy.SP K.B. Vishwanath had formed a team consisting of SI N.M. Bhavitha, and staff led by Circle Inspector C.M. Ravindra.

Based on the clues, the Police arrested Pradeep and subjected him to interrogation during which he is said to have confessed of committing the crime along with others and based on the information provided by him, the Cops arrested Perumal and Raju.

Following the information provided by the accused, the Police have recovered the stolen equipment besides seizing a Hero Honda Splendor Plus bike (KA-41 Q-1237), Bajaj Pulsar bike (KA-04 EV-9659) and a tipper lorry (KA-51 A-1424) used for the crime, five mobile phones and other equipment worth about Rs.36.8 lakh from them.

The accused were produced before a Court, which has remanded them to judicial custody.