Sangareddy Police Seize Rs 4.5 Crore Worth of Stolen PdC
Sangareddy Police Seize Rs 4.5 Crore Worth of Stolen PdC
Sangareddy police arrested six in a pharma heist, recovering PdC worth Rs 4.5 crore. The gang stole rare palladium catalyst used in pharmaceutical firms.
The police in Sangareddy have dismantled a criminal operation accused of stealing Palladium on Carbon (PdC), a rare and expensive catalyst essential for pharmaceutical manufacturing. They have arrested six individuals and recovered PdC valued at approximately Rs. 4.5 crore.
Superintendent of Police Chennuri Rupesh, addressing reporters on Thursday, identified Allam Sambasivudu as the group's leader. Having previously worked in pharmaceutical firms, Sambasivudu allegedly exploited his industry knowledge to orchestrate the thefts.
According to police, Sambasivudu collaborated with Prasad Saheb Sitole and Anmole Jagge, former colleagues from a pharma company in Pune. After relocating to Hyderabad, he continued stealing and selling PdC. The gang reportedly gained access to pharma warehouses by forming connections with store managers who facilitated the theft of the valuable material.
In one instance, on Feb. 8, the gang allegedly stole 110 kg of wet PdC and 55 kg of dry PdC from Arena Life Sciences in Yavapur, operating under Sadasivpet police jurisdiction. Investigators say the theft was enabled by store manager Tumma Mukkanti Reddy.
Following a complaint by the company, police launched an inquiry and apprehended the suspects at Maddikunta Crossroad on Wednesday. Authorities revealed that the gang was previously involved in similar thefts, including PdC valued at Rs 35 lakh from a pharma company in Gummadidala and 8 kg from another firm in IDA Bollaram.
Further investigations linked the group to additional cases in Bidar and Gujarat. Police reported that five more individuals connected to the operation remain at large.
The arrested suspects include Sambasivudu, Prasad, Aditya Ankush, Mukkanti Reddy, Matta Kutumba Rao, and Gummadi Srinivas Rao.
