Chidambaram police have launched an investigation after CCTV footage surfaced showing a couple allegedly stealing a BSNL junction box worth several lakhs of rupees using a JCB machine in the middle of the night.
According to reports, the incident took place on the night of 9 October 2025 in Vageesan Nagar, Chidambaram. The footage, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the duo digging a ditch near a pole and removing the junction box and cables belonging to the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) office. The act reportedly took place under the cover of ongoing civic work in the area.
Police sources said the stolen item was a damaged BSNL junction box that had been lying near the site for some time. The suspects allegedly noticed this and used the opportunity to carry out the theft. Using a JCB machine, they dug through the ground, removed the cables and metal fittings, and transported them away without drawing attention.
Officials from BSNL, after discovering the theft and viewing the CCTV footage, lodged a formal complaint at the Chidambaram Nagar Police Station. Acting on the complaint, police teams led by Inspector Ambedkar began a probe into the incident.
The theft occurred at a time when multiple public works including underground electric cable laying and the Kollidam joint drinking water pipeline project were being carried out in the same area. Investigators believe the suspects used these legitimate works as cover for their operation, assuming that no one would question the digging activity at night.
Police have now traced the JCB involved and identified its driver, along with the main suspects. Further inquiries are underway to determine whether others were involved and to recover the stolen BSNL property.
Source: Polimer News
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