NEW DELHI: In a city where metro train services are the lifeline of daily commutes, a gang of thieves was causing frequent disruptions on Pink Line by stealing copper cables.
Led by Govind Kumar, known as ‘Spiderman’ for his acrobatic skills in scaling metro tracks, the gang operated with precision, using construction debris as makeshift ladders and cutting through barbed wire to access valuable electrical infrastructure.
However, their crime spree came to an end recently with the arrests of three members of the gang, including Kumar.
Joint CP (transport) Vijay Singh said on Feb 3, 2024, a DMRC official reported the theft of copper cables from the Delhi Metro tracks between Majlis Park and Azadpur stations.
The incident led to the registration of an FIR. Soon after, two more cable thefts were reported. A special police team was then formed to probe the matter.
Through scrutiny of CCTV footage and advanced surveillance methods, police uncovered how the gang exploited gaps in security.
“They used construction debris to climb onto the metro tracks, swiftly cut through barbed wire, and stole long sections of copper cable before fleeing in a Bolero pickup truck. Acting on intelligence and vehicle tracking, police conducted raids at multiple locations, leading to the arrest of the accused and the recovery of 80 metres of stolen copper cable,” said DCP (Metro) Hareshwar V Swami.
The police team initially tracked down Govind Kumar (24) and his accomplice, Sushil Kumar (29). Their getaway vehicle, a pickup truck, was also seized. Later, the third accomplice, Aas Mohammad (29), was apprehended. The accused confessed to their involvement in multiple metro cable thefts, including incidents near Dwarka Metro Station.
Police are now making efforts to identify and apprehend other members of the gang.
“Govind Kumar, the ringleader, earned his nickname ‘Spiderman’ due to his ability to scale metro pillars and tracks with agility,” a police officer said. ” The accused were highly organised and operated with precision, making it challenging to track them. However, with the use of CCTV footage and technical surveillance, we identified their patterns and cracked down on their activities.”