A 70-foot-long steel bridge weighing over 10 tonnes built on a canal more than four decades ago was stolen overnight in Chhattisgarh’s Korba town, leaving locals in shock, police said on Saturday (Jan 24, 2026).
Investigators found that 15 people were involved in the incident, who allegedly cut up the structure and stole it to sell as scrap metal. Five of the accused have been arrested so far, officials said.
On January 18, residents noticed that a steel bridge built over the Hasdeo Left Canal and used as a footpath in Ward No. 17 of Dhodhipara area had disappeared, after which local corporator Laxman Shrivas lodged a complaint, Korba Additional Superintendent of Police Lakhan Patle said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the unknown accused cut the iron railing of the structure using gas cutters, he said.
Based on a written complaint received at the CSEB police chowki, a special police team has been constituted to investigate the matter, he added.
After technical analysis, information provided by informants and ongoing investigation, the police identified 15 accused in the case. Five of them – Lochan Kevat (20), Jaysingh Rajput (23), Moti Prajapati (27), Sumit Sahu (19) and Keshavpuri Goswami alias ‘Picture’ (22), all residents of the CSEB chowki police area – were arrested, Mr Patle said.
Efforts are on to trace the remaining 10 accused, including alleged kingpins Mukesh Sahu and Aslam Khan, who are currently absconding, he added.
The arrested accused confessed during interrogation to committing theft to sell iron as scrap, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.
Bhimsen Yadav, police chowki, said about seven tonnes of steel, which was hidden inside the canal, was seized.
The vehicle used to transport the stolen steel was also seized, he said, adding that the police were investigating where the remaining material was sold.
Speaking to PTI over phone, corporator Shrivas said the bridge, about 70 feet long and five feet wide, was built almost 40 years ago and weighed more than 10 tonnes.
Since the theft, locals have been using a nearby concrete bridge to cross the canal, he added.
Published – 24 Jan 2026 13:04 IST
