Karukachal: A spate of battery thefts targeting parked vehicles has sparked concern in the Karukachal area. The latest incident occurred along the Karukachal–Manimala road, where four batteries from two Taurus trucks parked respectively near Pathanad and Neriyanipoyka were stolen under the cover of darkness.

The affected vehicles belong to Palakkattu Shaiju of Pathanad and Kunnumpurathu Latheesh of Karukachal. Each stolen battery is estimated to be worth ₹14,000.

The theft came to light early the next morning when the drivers attempted to start their trucks and found the batteries missing. A preliminary investigation revealed CCTV footage showing a mini lorry arriving from the Pathanad side, halting at Neriyanipoyka and then driving away. However, due to heavy rain, the vehicle’s registration number could not be identified from the footage.

Authorities suspect that the perpetrators used this mini lorry to commit the theft. This is not the first such incident in the Pathanad–Nethallur stretch. Despite previous complaints, the culprits remain unidentified and at large.