Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 11 Jul: Under Operation Prahar, police in Rajpur ton Saturday claimed to have cracked another major burglary case and have arrested three ‘habitual’ offenders and recovering cash and valuables worth over Rs 1,05,000. The accused had been posing as scrap collectors, using the guise to reconnoitre locked houses before breaking in and committing thefts.
During interrogation, the accused admitted that they worked as Kabaadi collectors and while roaming in different parts of Dehradun under this pretext, they identified locked houses and struck when the opportunity arose. They confessed to stealing two large brass idols from a house at Makka Wala on Mussoorie Road on June 26, after breaking the gate lock. The idols were later sold to a scrap dealer near ISBT, with the proceeds divided among them. The scrap dealer has since shut shop and absconded, and efforts are underway to trace him.
The case came to light when complainant Ajay Singh of Sahastradhara lodged a written report at Rajpur police station, stating that his landlady’s house at Makka Wala, usually locked as she resides in Delhi, had been broken into and the brass idols stolen. Based on the complaint, a case was registered under Section 305A of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Given the seriousness of the incident, SSP Dehradun directed immediate formation of a police team at Rajpur. The team inspected the site, examined CCTV footage from nearby areas and activated local informers. They also verified the whereabouts of suspects previously involved in theft cases.
Persistent efforts led to the arrest of the three accused on 10 July 2026 near Bhandar village jungle road following a tip-off. Those arrested are Jagdeep Singh alias Jaggi, 33, of Patel Nagar, Dehradun; Sakendra alias Bulla, 26, originally from Darbhanga, Bihar, now residing in Gandhi Gram, Patel Nagar; and Mukhlid, 23, of Mehuwala, Basant Vihar, Dehradun. Recoveries included Rs 1,05,000 in cash, a burglary tool and three Oppo mobile phones.
The arrest was made by a team led by Sub Inspector PD Bhatt, in-charge of Rajpur police station, along with SI Praveen Saini, in-charge of Kuthal Gate outpost, and constables Amit and Mohit. Police said the investigation is continuing, with efforts to apprehend the absconding scrap dealer and to trace other possible links in the chain of thefts.
