Bahraich power wire theft gang: 5 arrested after encounter near Saryu Canal
Synopsis
A SWAT-led operation near the Saryu Canal in Bahraich ended in a gunfight that left one accused shot in the leg and five gang members in custody. The gang had been systematically plundering power cables across Nanpara, blacking out neighbourhoods repeatedly — and police say a sixth suspect is still on the run.
Key Takeaways
Five members of a power wire theft gang were arrested near the Saryu Canal, Nanpara in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh on 8 August .
Accused Qadir sustained a bullet injury to his leg during the encounter and was taken to hospital.
A sixth suspect fled the scene and remains absconding.
Police recovered an illegal pistol , cartridges, a car, theft tools, and a large quantity of stolen power wires .
SP Vishwajeet Srivastava confirmed the gang had been causing repeated power supply disruptions in the Nanpara area.
Investigation into the full theft network — including the source and destination of stolen cables — is underway.
Police in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district arrested five members of a power wire theft gang on 8 August following an encounter near the Saryu Canal in the Nanpara area, officials confirmed. One accused sustained a bullet injury during the exchange of fire, while a sixth suspect remains at large.
How the Encounter Unfolded
Acting on a tip-off from an informer, a SWAT team and local police personnel were deployed to the Saryu Canal track after receiving intelligence that the gang was planning another theft and attempting to offload previously stolen cables. When officers moved in and surrounded the suspects, the accused allegedly opened fire, prompting police to retaliate in self-defence.
An alleged gang member identified as Qadir was shot in the leg during the exchange and was subsequently hospitalised. Four others were arrested on the spot. A sixth accused managed to flee and is currently absconding.
What Was Recovered
Police seized an illegal pistol, cartridges, a car, theft tools, and a large quantity of stolen power wires from the accused. Bahraich Superintendent of Police Vishwajeet Srivastava, accompanied by a forensic team, inspected the encounter site as part of the ongoing investigation.
What the SP Said
SP Srivastava told reporters that multiple incidents of power cable theft had been reported across the Nanpara area over the preceding days, repeatedly disrupting electricity supply and causing inconvenience to residents. 'Incidents of power cable theft had been occurring frequently in the Nanpara area for the past few days. The theft of power cables frequently disrupted power supply in some areas, causing inconvenience to the public. A SWAT team and police station personnel were deployed to apprehend the wire thieves,' he said.
'The criminals opened fire on the team. In retaliatory action, one criminal was shot in the leg, while the others were arrested at the scene,' SP Srivastava added.
Investigation Ongoing
Authorities are now probing the full extent of the power wire theft network, including the source of the stolen cables and their intended destination. This comes amid a broader pattern of infrastructure theft across rural Uttar Pradesh, where power cable pilferage has been a recurring challenge for law enforcement and electricity distribution companies alike. Further arrests cannot be ruled out as the investigation progresses.
Point of View
Yet its impact — blacked-out villages, disrupted hospitals, stalled irrigation pumps — is acutely felt by rural communities. The Bahraich operation signals that UP Police are escalating their response, but the fact that a sixth suspect escaped and that the stolen cables had an organised 'intended destination' suggests this is not a local opportunist gang. The bigger question is who is buying the stripped copper at scale — without targeting that end of the supply chain, arrests at the field level will remain a revolving door.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Bahraich encounter on 8 August?
Police arrested five members of a power wire theft gang following a gunfight near the Saryu Canal in the Nanpara area of Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. One accused, identified as Qadir, was shot in the leg; a sixth suspect remains absconding.
What did police recover from the accused?
Officers seized an illegal pistol, cartridges, a car, tools used for the theft, and a large quantity of stolen power wires from the arrested gang members.
Who led the operation and what prompted it?
A SWAT team and local police personnel were deployed on intelligence from an informer who tipped off authorities that the gang was planning another theft along the Saryu Canal and trying to dispose of already-stolen cables. Bahraich SP Vishwajeet Srivastava oversaw the post-encounter site inspection with a forensic team.
Why had the gang been targeting the Nanpara area?
According to SP Srivastava, multiple power cable theft incidents had been reported across Nanpara in the days preceding the encounter, causing repeated electricity supply disruptions and public inconvenience — making it a known hotspot for infrastructure theft.
What is the current status of the investigation?
Five accused are in custody and one remains absconding. Authorities are investigating the broader theft network, including the source of the stolen cables and their intended buyers or destination.
