Jammu Police busts criminal nexus
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: SP South Jammu, Dr Ajay Sharma, on Tuesday said that Jammu Police have achieved a major breakthrough by successfully cracking two high-profile criminal cases involving theft of telecom infrastructure and an armed robbery at a government establishment.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Dr Ajay Sharma, said, “The operations led to the dismantling of a well-organised criminal nexus operating across the Jammu Division, with multiple arrests and recovery of stolen property worth over Rs 1 crore.”
Dr Ajay Sharma stated that the first case pertained to the theft of valuable telecom equipment from a BTS mobile tower installed at 6 B/C Gandhi Nagar, Jammu.
“A written complaint was received at Police Station Gandhi Nagar from Bihari Lal Sharma, DySP (Retd.), Supervisor Law & Order, J&K Circle, on behalf of GTL Infrastructure Limited (GIL). The theft occurred during the intervening night of October 6, 2025, resulting in disruption of essential telecom services. Accordingly, FIR No. 268/2025 under Section 305 BNS was registered and investigation was initiated,” Dr Ajay said.
The SP further disclosed that the second case related to an armed robbery at the JPDCL Divisional Store, Nanak Nagar. An application was received from the Assistant Executive Engineer, Sub Division Store (STD-I), JPDCL, Jammu, stating that during the intervening night of December 19/20, 2025, a group of 6-7 unknown persons armed with sharp-edged weapons forcibly entered the store and looted large quantities of electrical material. In this regard, FIR No. 276/2025 under Sections 309(4)/305/191(2) BNS and 4/25 Arms Act was registered.
Taking both cases with utmost seriousness, Dr Ajay Sharma said that a special police team was constituted under his supervision. The team, led by PSI Maan Singh, PSI Nadeem Akram and ASI Pintoo Kumar, worked under the close supervision of SHO PS Gandhi Nagar Jai Paul Sharma and SDPO City South Kuljeet Singh. Through sustained efforts, technical surveillance, and ground-level intelligence, the police succeeded in identifying and arresting the members of a well-coordinated criminal gang involved in both cases.
The arrested accused were identified as Saddam Hussain Zargar, Jahangir Ahmed Butt, Sofian alias Thapa Pehalwan, Shabaz Hussain, Freed Ali, Abdul Lateef alias Laefy, along with one juvenile whose identity has been withheld as per law. During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused were part of an organised nexus involved in theft and robbery of high-value government and private infrastructure.
On the disclosure of the accused, police recovered a huge quantity of stolen property, including telecom equipment comprising 11 Base Band units, 03 RUS units, one Air Harmony unit, along with connectors, wires and switches valued at approximately Rs 70 lakh. Additionally, large quantities of electrical material including conductors, control cables, pin insulators, electric fittings, electric cables and 20 shattering plates were recovered. Police also seized two sharp-edged weapons (tokas) and three vehicles including an Alto car, a Swift car and a Mahindra pickup vehicle used in the commission of crimes.
Dr Ajay Sharma emphasised that the total value of the recovered property exceeds Rs 1 crore, dealing a severe blow to organised crime in the region.
He reiterated Jammu Police’s firm commitment to protecting public and government property, ensuring the safety of essential infrastructure, and taking stringent action against criminal elements. He also warned that anyone found involved in such organised criminal activities would be dealt with strictly as per law.