The operation was no small feat. Armed with industrial gas cutters and fuel cylinders, the gang toiled through the night, cutting the bridge’s robust railings and girders into manageable chunks. By dawn, they had loaded everything onto trucks and motorcycles, leaving locals stunned upon discovery.

Under SP Siddharth Tiwari’s directive, a crack team swung into action, leveraging surveillance data and informants to pinpoint 15 perpetrators. Five have been nabbed: 20-year-old Lochan Kewat, 23-year-old Jaysingh Rajput, 27-year-old Moti Prajapati, 19-year-old Sumit Sahu, and 22-year-old Keshavpuri Goswami, known as Picture.

Seizures include 5 tons of scrap metal, a Tata Ace mini-truck dubbed ‘little elephant,’ a Splendor bike, cutting tools, oxygen and LPG cylinders, phones, and cash amounting to Rs 6,000. Charges under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita have been filed at Civil Lines Rampur station.

As the hunt for the remaining 10 continues, this audacious crime highlights vulnerabilities in protecting public works from scrap-hungry criminals. Community leaders are urging fortified patrols and rapid bridge replacement to prevent future disruptions and safety risks.