Rohingya Gang Held for Stealing Copper Coils From Power Transformers

Nalgonda: Five Rohingya refugees allegedly involved in stealing insulating oil and copper coils from electricity transformers in several police station limits were arrested by Narketpally police on Thursday, police said.

The arrested were identified as Hamid Hussain, 26, Jahangir Alam, 30, Noor Qasim, 35, Nurul Amin, 27, and Nurul Alam, 33. The accused, natives of Myanmar, were residing in Balapur, Hyderabad. Police seized stolen property worth Rs 7.7 lakh, two cutters and four tools allegedly used to open transformers.

Presenting the accused at a media conference in Nalgonda, deputy superintendent of police K. Shivaram Reddy said Kalyani Steel Limited administration in-charge N. Chandu Kumar lodged a complaint with Narketpally police in December 2025 alleging that 21,000 litres of insulating oil and copper coils had been stolen from transformers belonging to the company.

Police said the gang targeted transformers located on village outskirts during the night, causing disruption to electricity supply.

Acting on credible information, Narketpally police arrested the accused on the outskirts of a village. During questioning, they allegedly confessed to stealing insulating oil and copper coils from transformers in the limits of Narketpally, Madgulapally, Chityal, Vemulapally, Valigonda, Pochampally, Yadagirigutta, Ramannapet and Bhongir Rural police stations, police said.