Jammu, Sep 15 - The Jammu and Kashmir police Tuesday arrested an Indian Army deserter, who had turned to stealing building material from construction sites in the state and in Punjab to sell off cheaply in the market, from the outskirts of Jammu city.

The army and police had been looking for Gurbachan Singh alias Sonu, who had joined the Army's Jammu and Kashmir (JAK) Rifles in 2003 but deserted his unit in 2007. He took leave in June 2007 and never returned, Jammu's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manohar Singh said.

The SSP told media persons that Gurbachan Singh was arrested from the city's Narwal area, when he was trying to dispose off stolen material like tin and steel.

A truck has also been seized from him, he added.

Gurbachan Singh, who is from Dera Babbar village in Reasi district, about 80 km north-east of Jammu, had been stealing material like steel and iron from construction sites of railway tracks, bridges and buildings and selling them off cheaply in the market.