Scrap Collector Mastermind Exposes Smart City Vulnerability: Jammu Kashmir Police Bust Gang Behind CCTV Disruptions | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: In a case that has raised concerns over urban surveillance vulnerabilities, a scrap collector allegedly masterminded a series of thefts that crippled traffic signals and CCTV networks at key junctions in Jammu city, highlighting how even a low-profile operator can disrupt a sophisticated system, The Indian Express reported.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested two accused—Himanshu Gill alias “Badaa Prince” and Prince Sharma—while a third suspect, identified as Deepak, remains absconding. Police said Deepak, who reportedly moved door-to-door collecting scrap, is the alleged kingpin behind the organised gang.

According to The Indian Express, the gang is suspected to be behind disruptions at four major crossings—Asia Chowk, Bikram Chowk, Amphalla and Parade—where traffic signals stopped functioning and CCTV cameras went blank over the past few days.

Officials said the outages initially appeared to be technical faults. However, inspections revealed that batteries and other key components of surveillance systems installed by Jammu Smart City Limited had been stolen.

A complaint was subsequently lodged on February 28 at Gandhi Nagar Police Station, leading to the registration of a theft case and the setting up of a dedicated investigation team led by Inspector Jaipaul Sharma.

Using a combination of technical surveillance, CCTV footage analysis and human intelligence, the police tracked down the accused. The breakthrough came from footage captured by a CCTV camera installed at a private premises, which showed an auto-rickshaw arriving near Bikram Chowk around the time the surveillance systems went offline.

Investigators said the accused exploited power curtailment hours to remove batteries from the installations, ensuring minimal risk of being captured on disabled cameras.

Himanshu Gill, described by police as a habitual offender with multiple FIRs registered against him, was identified through the footage and later detained for questioning. His mobile phone location was also traced to the affected sites, corroborating his alleged involvement.

Based on his disclosures, police arrested Prince Sharma and recovered 18 stolen batteries. The auto-rickshaw used in the thefts has also been seized.

Police officials said the case underscores both the effectiveness of coordinated policing and the vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure. “This successful operation underscores the effective integration of modern technology with proactive policing,” an official said, as quoted by The Indian Express.

Further investigation is underway to apprehend the absconding Deepak and to identify any additional members of the network, as well as to recover remaining stolen equipment.

The incident has drawn attention to the need for stronger safeguards around critical smart city infrastructure, as authorities assess how a seemingly low-level scrap collector was able to repeatedly breach and disable key surveillance and traffic management systems.