Two thieves who came to steal the water pipes of the DWS department were caught red-handed by local people of Madhya Pratapgarh under AD Nagar police station on Friday morning.

Police sources said that some local people of Madhya Pratapgarh near Jewels Club on Friday morning noticed that a group of people were loading big iron pipes from an open store, used for setting up of drinking water connections under the Drinking Water and Sanitary (DWS) department of the state government.

Over suspicion, local people detained them   and informed the actual owner of the pipes. When the owner of the pipes, Keshab Saha and a DWS contractor rushed to the spot, found many pipes had already been stolen by the gang of thieves. By that time, they managed to detain only two of them and informed the police.

Police rushed to the spot and arrested both thieves and also seized a mini-truck, which has been used for transportation of pipes.

Police sources added that the actual owner of the pipes has lodged a complaint at AD Nagar police station and police started investigation to arrest other thieves involved with stealing.