Police have arrested five people, including a local leader of the Jubo Dal, in connection with the alleged theft of electricity transformers in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur.
The arrests were made during separate raids in different parts of the upazila on Monday night, 14 September. The suspects were produced before a court on Tuesday, 15 September, and were subsequently sent to jail, police said.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Abinur, Selim, Sumon and Sumon alias Nuru Mia, all residents of the Nadagari area in Balijuri Union. The fifth suspect, Russel Mia, is a resident of Gabergram. He is also the general secretary of the Jubo Dal in Ward No. 3 of Madarganj Municipality.
Police said they recovered several pieces of equipment allegedly used in transformer theft during the operation. Investigators are examining the seized items as part of their efforts to determine how the alleged thefts were carried out and whether other people were involved.
According to police and local sources, more than 26 electricity transformers have been stolen from different unions across Madarganj over the past two months. The incidents have disrupted electricity supplies in several areas, leaving ordinary consumers and farmers facing difficulties.
Transformers are a key component of local electricity distribution networks. When one is stolen, the power supply to the area connected to that unit can be interrupted. Restoring the service generally requires the missing equipment to be replaced and the distribution system to be brought back into operation. In rural areas, such disruptions can also create difficulties for farmers who depend on electricity for irrigation and other agricultural activities.
The Madarganj Palli Bidyut Zonal Office lodged complaints with the police over the transformer thefts. Following the complaints, police began investigating the incidents and later said they had identified a suspected group involved in the thefts.
Based on information gathered during the investigation, police conducted raids in several parts of the upazila and arrested the five suspects. The investigation is now focused on establishing the wider network allegedly responsible for the repeated thefts.
The involvement of Russel Mia, who holds a local organisational position in the Jubo Dal, has also drawn a response from the organisation. Abdullah Al Mamun, convenor of the Madarganj municipal Jubo Dal, said the organisation would not accept responsibility for any wrongdoing committed by an individual.
He said that if the investigation establishes the leader’s involvement in the alleged offence, strict organisational action would be taken against him.
Snehasish Roy, officer-in-charge of Madarganj Model Police Station, said several items used in the alleged thefts had been recovered during the investigation and initial questioning of the suspects.
Police produced the five arrested individuals before the court and sought a seven-day remand to question them and identify the alleged masterminds behind the theft network. Investigators hope that questioning the suspects will provide information about others who may have been involved in the thefts.
The officer said police were continuing their efforts to bring everyone allegedly involved in the transformer thefts under the law. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities seeking to identify the wider network and determine the full extent of its activities.
