3 minutes of readingPuneUpdated: January 31, 2026 07:24 pm IST
Police arrested a gang of four, including a rickshaw driver, for allegedly stealing batteries from traffic controllers’ boxes at traffic lights in different parts of Pune city.
Police identified the accused as Deepak Amol Kamble (32) and Chand Usman Shaikh (28) of Ramtekdi, Hadapsar, Vikas alias Taklya Vijay Mane (36) of Pune Camp and Ali Mulla Shaikh (27) of Bhagyoday Nagar, Kondhwa.
A press release issued by police inspector Bhausaheb Patil of Wanavdi police station stated that during power cuts, traffic signals in Pune are powered by batteries installed in the boxes of traffic controllers at various signal junctions in the city.
Under the Pune Smart City Project, Vindhya Telelinks Limited Company is responsible for the traffic control boxes and installation of their batteries, according to the press release.
Six batteries were found missing from the control boxes at the traffic signals at Kalubai Chowk, AFMC chowk and Race Course chowk. Subsequently, officials of Vindhya Telelinks Limited Company lodged a first information report (FIR) of theft at Wanavdi police station on January 27.
A team led by police sub-inspector Umakant Mahadik and sub-inspector Alfaz Shaikh launched an investigation.
Cops reviewed several videos captured by CCTV cameras around the crime scene and other places to get clues about the robbers.
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During investigation on Friday, police officers Ashish Kamble and Balaji Waghmare received information that the accused had come near Shevkar Vasti Railway Phatak in Hadapsar area to sell the stolen batteries.
The police team laid a trap at the spot and trapped the four accused in a rickshaw. Police recovered 34 stolen batteries, worth Rs 68,000, from the accused. Apart from the autorickshaw vehicle, a metal weapon used by the accused to commit the crimes was also seized from their possession, police said.
Police said the accused Deepak Kamble is a rickshaw driver, Chand Shaikh is a scrap dealer, Mane is a rag picker and Ali Shaikh is a labourer.
Investigating officer and police sub-inspector Alfaz Shaikh said, “The accused stole batteries from several traffic signal junctions in the city over the past few months. Due to the thefts, the traffic signals stopped working during power cuts.”
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“So far, five separate FIRs for battery theft have been registered against the four-member gang. Two FIRs are lodged at Wanavdi police station and one at Lakshmi Nagar, Market Yard and Lashkar police stations. Further investigation is underway,” Shaikh said.