Margao: South Goa police arrested three persons for allegedly stealing telephone cables from BSNL infrastructure, with 10 FIRs registered against them at various police stations in the district over the past month, SP Akshat Ayush said.The breakthrough came about a week ago, when a case was filed at Fatorda police station, after which they arrested the three accused the same day. Police have sought their custody for further interrogation.“The same people were involved in different FIRs at different police stations — 10 FIRs have been filed against them based on the list of complaints we have got,” the SP said, adding that the gang had been active for the past 30 to 40 days, striking at BSNL installations in different parts of South Goa at different times.“We are expecting to recover the stolen goods soon,” said Ayush.The theft cases, registered at Vasco, Verna, Maina, Curtorim, Colva, Fatorda and Margao police stations, involved cutting and removing underground, copper and OFC cables and tag blocks from BSNL cabinets and exchanges, disrupting services in several areas including Chicalim, Sancoale, Davorlim, Colva, Vidyanagar, Colmorod-Navelim and Comba.The cumulative damage to public property runs into several lakhs of rupees, with individual complaints ranging from Rs 2,000 to over Rs 1.2 lakh.Regarding the involvement of an inter-state gang, the SP said the investigation was under way. “So far the gang cannot be traced to other states yet,” he said.
