02 February,2011 06:53 AM IST | | Poornima Swaminathan
Sewri cops say mafia is drawing out large amounts of water from main pipeline to supply to unauthorised shanties
Thieves are supposed to shudder at the thought of police stations.
However, this is not the case with the thugs at Bombay Port Trust colony (BPT), who have been stealing water from the police station at Sewri and supplying it to the shanties in the area.
Sewri police investigate water pumps installed by the water mafia; officials are facing acute water shortage because of the theft
In a large-scale crackdown nf illegal water pumps, cops found illegal hutments along the BPT colony installing pumps to draw out water.
Following the watery trail, investigating officials found that huge pumps were installed, which drew out water from the main line, because of which the police station and residents of BPT colony suffered with acute water shortage.
"Surprise raids revealed there is a well-oiled mafia syndicate operating," said a senior police official.
According to senior police officials, the water mafia located along the BPT road has been rampant in the last couple of years and have been stealing water, sometimes, even selling it to earn a quick buck.
In the last one month, the Sewri police have pulled out hundreds of these illegal pumps from the shanties.
Making a profit
A quick enquiry by the police revealed that the gangs involved in the syndicate were earlier operating as theft and robbery gangs at the docks and the railway line between Wadala and Dockyard Roads.
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"However, they reckoned that there is more money in the water mafia and by supplying water to the hundreds of unauthorised slums along the BPT, they could rake in more profits," pointed out a police official.
During the surprise raids, the police stumbled upon water pipelines of two inches in width illegally installed above the roof of the hutments.
An official also believed that members from the water department could be hand-in glove with the mafia.
The police complained that the mafia even after the raids were carried out, they manage to re-install illegal pumps creating the menace.
"We are conducting raids and are trying to identify the chain in the racket," said Rajan Bhogle, senior police inspector, Sewri police station.
