A mobile tower installed by a private telecom company was stolen, along with its components, from Tipu Nagar in Shivamogga, according to police reports on Thursday.
Inspector NT Gururaj of the Tunganagar police stated that the telecom company reported the tower, established in 2008 to enhance network coverage in the area, had become difficult to maintain during the Covid-19 pandemic due to staff shortages. When company personnel returned to the site in 2023, they were shocked to find that the tower and spare parts worth approximately ₹46.30 lakh were missing.
After the discovery, the telecom company filed a formal complaint, prompting the court to direct the Tunganagar police to take immediate action. Following the court’s instruction on Monday, the police registered a theft case on Wednesday and launched an investigation to identify those responsible for the brazen theft.
The stolen items include not only the tower structure but also essential spare parts. Investigators are working to determine how the thieves managed to dismantle and transport the large structure without attracting attention, an act that would require considerable manpower.
Gururaj noted, “We registered a theft case on Wednesday and are conducting an investigation as directed by the Shivamogga JMFC court. The company officials are uncertain about the exact timing of the theft. We suspect that scrap merchants may have dismantled the tower and sold it off. Our investigation is ongoing.”
The telecom company has not yet responded to requests for comment on the situation.
