Cylinder thieves' arrest gives relief

600 cases of theft reported

A gang of thieves had stolen more than 40 cylinders from schools in the past 3 months.
They broke into schools at Chaldaganahalli, Mavalli, Ghattakamadhenahalli, Kempapur, Sanganahalli, T Gollahalli, Garudadrihalli, Urigaonpet, Mageri, Singahlli, Boyinahalli, Venugopalapur, Madigarahalli, Robertsonpet, Champion’s Reef, Madamangala, Kuppanahalli, Siddanahalli and escaped with gas cylinders used for cooking mid-day meals.

On September 9 thieves had struck at five schools on a single night. The total number of cylinders stolen was 48.

The theft had put the school teacher under great trouble as the school development committees refused to sanction money for purchasing new gas connections.
They argued that the money should be sanctioned by the government and not the development committee.

Mid-day meal assistant director Siddaraju said alternative arrangement had to be made by asking the schools with two cylinders to part with one cylinder to help the school that was left without a cylinder, so that the students did not go hungry.

Earlier only rice, dal and utensils were going missing. They were the handiwork of the local people. They had not actually caused stoppage of mid-day meals. However theft of cylinders had created tension as there was no other way to cook the mid-day meal for students.

In fact the Education Department deputy director had even issued a circular directing the teachers to place the cylinders secure under lock and key and that the Head Master/Mistress would be held responsible for the loss.  However lack of security measures in the rural areas had caused anxiety among the teachers.

Gang of thieves used to steal cylinders kept outside the house too and so far 600 cases of theft has been reported said a gas distributor
DH News Service