Ludhiana: Stolen PRTC bus found sans seven tyres, two batteries

FIR registered against unidentified persons eight days after theft; police say suspects identified, probe underwayLudhiana

A Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) bus stolen from outside the Thapar Inter-state Bus Terminal here on the intervening night of August 28 and 29 was found hours after the theft nearly 21 km away near Dhatt village in Jagraon, stripped of all seven tyres, including the spare, and two batteries, police said.

The bus had been left resting on bricks after the thieves removed its seven tyres, including the spare, and two batteries. (HT File)

The Division Number 5 police registered an FIR against unidentified persons on Sunday, eight days after the theft. Police said they have obtained CCTV footage of the vehicle allegedly used in the crime, traced its registration number and identified the suspects. Efforts are on to arrest them, they added.

The bus driver, Gurwinder Singh, who operates the PRTC bus on contract, had parked the vehicle outside the bus terminal on the night of August 28. When he returned to the spot around 7.30 pm on August 29, he found the bus missing.

According to Gurwinder, CCTV footage from the area showed around eight men arriving in a Mahindra Bolero pickup at about 12.30 am on August 29. The suspects remained at the spot for nearly two hours before tampering with the bus wiring and driving it away around 2.30 am.

After discovering the theft, Gurwinder circulated details of the missing bus in WhatsApp groups of PRTC drivers as well as those operating small and large buses. The groups are routinely used by drivers to share information about routes and vehicles.

The effort yielded results within hours. Gurwinder said a mini-bus driver operating on rural routes contacted him that afternoon after spotting a PRTC bus parked near Dhatt village. Gurwinder and others reached the spot and identified it as the stolen vehicle.

The bus had been left resting on bricks after the thieves removed its seven tyres, including the spare, and two batteries. CCTV cameras installed inside the bus were also damaged. Gurwinder then arranged to have the bus lifted from the spot and procured new tyres and batteries to make it operational again.

“The manner in which the accused tampered with the system to start the bus makes me believe that they had technical knowledge of its wiring and mechanism. They could be involved in driving or repairing buses. I have suffered a loss of around ₹8 lakh,” he claimed.

Gurwinder also alleged that he had approached the police immediately after discovering the theft but no action was taken, following which he searched for the bus himself with the help of social media and WhatsApp groups.

However, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Karnail Singh, in-charge of the bus stand police post, denied any delay on the part of the police. “We were not initially informed about the theft and that the complainant approached us later. The complainant had himself traced the bus and then got its tyres and batteries replaced so it could be put back into operation. We have now received his complaint and initiated action,” the ASI said.

According to the ASI, the police have obtained CCTV footage showing the Bolero pickup used in the theft and traced its registration number. “The suspects have been identified and efforts are underway to arrest them,” he added.