Korba, Chhattisgarh | January 24, 2026 : A steel footbridge weighing more than 10 tonnes and spanning a canal in Korba city has been stolen overnight, leaving residents shocked and authorities scrambling to trace what police describe as a well-planned operation carried out under the cover of darkness.
The bridge, around 70 feet long and nearly five feet wide, had been constructed over four decades ago across the Hasdeo Left Canal and served as an important pedestrian link in Ward No. 17 of the Dhodhipara area. Residents first noticed something amiss on January 18, when they found the entire steel structure missing, with only its concrete supports left behind.
Following a complaint lodged by local corporator Laxman Shrivas, police registered a case and formed a special investigation team at the CSEB police chowki. According to Korba Additional Superintendent of Police Lakhan Patle, preliminary findings indicate that gas cutters were used to dismantle the iron railings and structural components, which were then transported away to be sold as scrap.
Investigators have so far identified the involvement of 15 individuals in the theft. Five accused have been arrested, all residents of the CSEB police chowki area, while efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining suspects, including those believed to have coordinated the sale of the stolen metal.
During interrogation, the arrested individuals allegedly admitted to dismantling the bridge in phases and disposing of the material through scrap dealers. Police are now probing where the remaining steel was sold and whether similar thefts have occurred elsewhere.
Since the disappearance of the footbridge, local residents have been forced to use a nearby concrete bridge to cross the canal, causing inconvenience, particularly for pedestrians and elderly residents.
Authorities have stated that the investigation is continuing and further arrests are likely as the supply chain involved in the disposal of the stolen steel is uncovered.
