1,500 iPhones Worth Rs 11 Crore Stolen in Madhya Pradesh; 3 Cops Penalised

A container truck carrying around 1,500 iPhones worth Rs 11 crore was looted in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Following this incident, one policeman was suspended and two others were removed from field duty for alleged negligence, an official reported on Saturday.

Details of the Incident

The theft occurred after the truck driver was reportedly drugged and gagged on August 15, according to Sagar Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Uikey. "We are verifying the claim of the transporters of some 1500 iPhones worth Rs 11 crore getting looted. Apple, which manufactures these phones, has not contacted police so far. I am at the spot, some 35 kilometres from the district headquarters, and videography of the truck is in progress," he said.

The container truck was en route from Gurugram in Haryana to Chennai when the robbery took place. The incident began in the neighbouring Narsinghpur district before reaching Sagar. A case will be registered once the initial investigation is completed, Uikey added.

Police Action and Investigation

Sagar Zone Inspector-General of Police Pramod Verma took action against Bandari police station in-charge inspector Bhagchand Uikey and assistant sub-inspector Rajendra Pandey by removing them from field duty. Head constable Rajesh Pandey was suspended on Friday for their alleged negligence in handling the case. The personnel had failed to register a complaint when approached by the truck driver, according to the additional SP.

The police are currently conducting a detailed investigation into the incident. The focus is on verifying the claims made by those transporting the phones and gathering evidence from the crime scene. The videography of the truck is part of these efforts to collect crucial information.

Further Developments

As of now, Apple has not reached out to the police regarding this significant loss. The authorities are working diligently to piece together what transpired and bring those responsible to justice. The involvement of high-value goods like iPhones has added urgency to the investigation.

The suspension and reassignment of police personnel highlight the seriousness with which this case is being treated. Ensuring accountability within the force is seen as a critical step in addressing such incidents effectively.

Efforts are ongoing to track down any leads that might help recover the stolen iPhones and apprehend those involved in this heist. The local community remains on alert as more details emerge about this brazen robbery.

The investigation continues as authorities aim to resolve this case swiftly and prevent similar incidents in the future.