Gandhinagar LCB Busts Inter-State ‘Khekda’ Gang Behind 35 Metro Cable Thefts
“Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time,” wrote Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist. In the case of metro power cable thefts, this ominous cycle repeated at least 35 times before the Gandhinagar Local Crime Branch (LCB) finally cracked down on the gang responsible.
Known as the “Khekda” gang, the group orchestrated systematic metro cable thefts across multiple cities, severely disrupting metro services and causing widespread inconvenience. The gang was recently busted following a major heist at the Koba metro station in Gandhinagar, where they cut and stole 700 metres of metro power cable during an IPL match on June 2. The stolen haul was valued at nearly Rs 18 lakh.
How the Khekda Gang Operated
The Gandhinagar LCB’s investigation revealed that the Khekda gang’s reach extended far beyond Gujarat. Besides Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad, the gang struck in Pune, Panvel, Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra), Delhi, and Bhopal and Indore (Madhya Pradesh). The scale and spread of their operations highlight the organized nature of this criminal network.
The thieves employed well-planned methods to access the metro cables. They scaled trees along metro tracks or climbed nearby structures to reach the lines. After cutting the valuable copper cables, they transported them to rented properties where they stripped the copper wires from the plastic casing. These copper wires were then shipped to Delhi, where they were sold in the black market.
Crackdown After High-Value Theft at Koba
The major theft on June 2 near Koba Circle triggered a swift police response. Senior Police Officer Ravi Teja Vasamsetty immediately formed four teams to investigate the crime. Using CCTV footage and vehicle tracking, investigators identified two suspicious vehicles linked to the theft.
Further surveillance and informant tips led police to a rented house in Kalol, which the gang used as a stash point. A raid on the property resulted in the arrest of four gang members caught in the act of stripping cables.
The arrested suspects are Musharraf Irshad Mulejat, Rashid Ishaq Ismail Dhobi, Rashid Abdul Aziz Shabbir Ansari, and Irshad Majid Allamehar Malik. Police recovered nearly 370 kilograms of copper wire valued at Rs 2.95 lakh, along with 130 kilograms of plastic casing. They also seized a Kia Carens car and mobile phones used during the operation.
Gang’s Criminal Trail and Ongoing Manhunt
Interrogations revealed that the Khekda gang included at least 15 members involved in the Koba theft. The group also carried out another metro cable theft on May 22 near Shahpur metro station in Ahmedabad.
However, 10 key members remain at large. They include Shahzad Amruddin Malik, Amir Akbar Malik, Arif Babu Malik, Iqlaq Iqbal Malik, Imran Malik, Arif Rafiq, Sonu Babu Kasar, Arshad Asghar Malik, Bilal Qureshi, Raja Qureshi, and Masoom Yasin Malik.
These suspects are believed to be part of an organized network operating across multiple states, coordinating the thefts and trafficking of stolen metro cables.
Impact and Next Steps
The gang’s repeated strikes caused frequent disruptions in metro services, inconveniencing thousands of commuters and causing significant financial losses. The Gandhinagar LCB’s decisive action sends a strong message to other criminal groups targeting critical infrastructure.
The police continue their hunt for the remaining members of the Khekda gang. Enhanced surveillance along metro routes and coordination with other state police departments are underway to dismantle this inter-state crime ring entirely.
AM.
