Police in Bardibas, Mahottari, have taken five members of an organised transformer-theft ring into custody, recovering copper wire from the transformers. Scrap dealer Indrajit Mahato has admitted buying the copper coil from the other four. Police have obtained a remand extension from the district court and are tracing the wider network of thieves. SP Shyamkrishna Saru Magar of the Mahottari police says a deeper investigation is under way. Provincial police data shows 58 transformers were stolen in Madhesh in FY 2082/83: 28 in Mahottari, 17 in Sarlahi, 10 in Dhanusha and 3 in Rautahat. Twenty cases have been registered and six people arrested so far.