BALURGHAT: In a dramatic twist, police arrested a truck theft suspect while he was allegedly celebrating the crime at a picnic and recovered the stolen vehicle. The case has also exposed the suspected involvement of an inter-district vehicle theft racket operating across South and North Dinajpur.
According to police sources, the theft took place on January 15 at Bakshiganj under Hili police station in South Dinajpur district. A truck belonging to local businessman Sushil Morol was stolen from the roadside. Following the complaint, police launched an investigation and soon gathered inputs suggesting that the stolen vehicle had been taken out of the district.
Investigators traced the truck to a hideout near Karandighi in neighbouring North Dinajpur district.
Police found that the accused had begun
dismantling parts of the truck at a local garage. Shockingly, sources said that the accused and his associates were simultaneously holding a picnic to celebrate the theft.
Acting swiftly, South Dinajpur district police, with assistance from the local police station, conducted a raid at the spot and arrested the accused, identified as Pramod Mondal. The stolen truck was also recovered during the operation. Police officials revealed that the accused had travelled from Hooghly district and was allegedly involved in stealing vehicles from South Dinajpur and transporting them to other districts for dismantling and resale of parts.
Balurghat Sadar DSP Bikram Prasad said: “The accused is a resident of Srirampur in Hooghly district. He has been taken into police remand for further interrogation to ascertain the involvement of others in this inter-district theft racket.”