A stock of electrical cables worth more than 10 million rupees, used for lighting connections in the cabins of a train stopped at Hikkaduwa railway station, was stolen.
These electrical cables were stolen from the Nayana Kumari train which arrived at Hikkaduwa last Wednesday night on the 17th and was scheduled to leave for Colombo Fort on Thursday morning.
The police believe that this theft, which surprised the railway authorities, was carried out by a group well-versed in electrical systems.
Deputy Superintendent- Railway Guard G.W. Sumit said that the incident took place on Thursday morning targeting the Nayana Kumari express train which had arrived from Colombo the previous night.
Railway security officials say that the thieves specifically targeted the cables used to power the lighting system in the passenger compartments. Accordingly, they believe that the theft was carried out by a group with a sophisticated understanding of electrical circuits.
Responding to the incident, Galle Police Crime Investigation Division Station Officer (OIC) CI A.S.L. Narangoda has started a comprehensive investigation.