2 held for theft of 51 countdown clock batteries worth Rs 2.8 lakh from traffic signals in Surat

The company soon informed the Katargam police and lodged a complaint on the theft of the three batteries worth Rs 16,500. Amnex technician Rohit Thackrey stated in his complaint that the theft must have taken place in the past two to three months as the countdown clocks were installed at more than 160 traffic junctions in Surat during this period.

Later, the company began a drive to check the countdown clocks at other traffic junctions. It found that 51 batteries — three from Naginawadi junction in Katargam, 18 from five locations of Varachha, six from Utran and Mahidhaprura each and 15 in Punagam and Sarthana areas, in addition to the Kasanagar signal — were missing from various traffic junctions in the city.

The police, who registered two cases of theft of batteries under BNS section 303(2) against unknown persons and started a probe, began checking CCTV footage at the traffic junctions.

“We checked the CCTV footage of the traffic junctions and various other junctions which led our teams to a footpath below the flyover bridge at Hirabaug circle in Varachha. Our teams arrested a youth identified as Ajay Makwana (20) and seized four stolen batteries from his possession,” said Katargam police inspector B K Chaudhary.

During interrogation, Makwana disclosed that he had sold other batteries to a scrap and vegetable seller, Praveen Surela (28), a resident of Harinagar at Parvat village. “We arrested Praveen and seized 11 other batteries from his possession. We have seized 15 batteries of Exide Powersafe Plus,” Chaudhary added.

The 15 retrieved 12-volt batteries are worth Rs 82,500. On Wednesday, the Varachha police registered a theft case of 18 batteries worth Rs 99,000 from five traffic junctions. Sources said Makwana has confessed to have committed all the thefts. Earlier in 2022, Makwana was arrested by Mahidharpura police in another theft case.

“The batteries are stocked in a box attached to the pole around two feet above ground level. The door of the box is kept locked so that nobody can open it. The accused had broken open the door and stolen the batteries,” Thackrey said.

Police said they are trying to recover the remaining stolen batteries. “We suspect that Ajay Makwana had sold it to people selling vegetables on handcarts who use such batteries at night on the lorries. The accused was selling the batteries at Rs 90 per kilogram to Praveen Surela. The actual market value of each battery is Rs 5,500,” Chaudhary said.

Generally, such countdown clocks run from direct electric supply but during power failure, the traffic signals are controlled by the backup batteries that automatically turn on. “We keep three backup batteries at each junction. It runs for over two to three hours, Thackrey added.