In a bizarre theft that has left authorities reeling, a massive 60-foot-long iron bridge weighing around 30 tons disappeared overnight from a canal near Russian Hostel in Korba district, Chhattisgarh. The 40-year-old structure, a vital link for local commuters, was dismantled piece by piece by audacious thieves on the night of January 17, 2026.
Eyewitnesses woke up to a shocking sight the next morning: the bridge was gone, sparking panic across the neighborhood. The culprits arrived equipped with gas cutters, oxygen cylinders, and LPG cylinders, methodically slicing through the heavy railings and framework throughout the night before loading the scraps onto vehicles and fleeing into the darkness.
Police Superintendent Siddharth Tiwari swiftly formed a special investigation team, including the cyber cell, to crack the case. Acting on technical evidence and tip-offs, officers identified 15 suspects, arresting five key members: Lochan Kewat (20), Jaysingh Rajput (23), Moti Prajapati (27), Sumit Sahu (19), and Keshavpuri Goswami alias Picture (22).
Raids at the accused’s hideouts yielded about 5 tons of chopped iron, along with a Tata Ace vehicle, a Splendor motorcycle, gas cutting equipment, cylinders, mobile phones, and Rs 6,000 in cash—all instruments of the daring heist. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Civil Lines Rampur police station (CSEB outpost).
With 10 fugitives still at large, Korba police are intensifying their manhunt, vowing swift arrests. This incident underscores the growing audacity of scrap metal thieves targeting public infrastructure, prompting calls for enhanced security measures around vital assets. Local residents demand immediate reconstruction to restore connectivity, while authorities probe deeper into organized scrap syndicates operating in the region.