Two years after theft at nuclear plant, 5 arrested

In a security breach two years ago at the high-security Narora nuclear power plant in western Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahar district, a group of youngsters allegedly stole radiation sensors installed to handle an offsite nuclear emergency.

In a security breach two years ago at the high-security Narora nuclear power plant in western Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahar district, a group of youngsters allegedly stole radiation sensors installed to handle an offsite nuclear emergency.

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But the theft was allegedly kept under wraps by plant officials and the Central Industrial Security Force in charge of security at the plant until Wednesday when five youngsters were arrested for stealing the SIM card-operated sensors, known as the Indian Real Time Online Decision Support Systems.

No FIR was lodged at the time of the theft.

The accused — identified only as Sandeep, Sukhbeer, Rajkumar, Bhagwan and Nawab — residents of Nandpur, a village adjoining the plant, stole the sensors in July 2008, the police said. “We went into the plant and took away eight systems hung on poles attached to solar panels,” Sandeep told the police.

They then allegedly sold the solar panels, batteries and chips to a pawn shop. Narora police station officer Sanjay Pandey said they traced four SIMs leading to Wednesday’s arrests.

The plant’s station director B.B. Mittal claimed there had been no breach in security, but admitted some data was lost.