20-year-old Maharashtra man arrested for stealing an electric bus
Vishnu's record shows he lived in a govt children's hostel in Saidabad for ten years before fleeing in 2021.
In an incident that raised eyebrows and provoked security concerns, a 20-year-old from Nanded district, Maharashtra, was arrested for allegedly stealing an electric bus of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). Before his arrest, the young man drove the bus about 100km before abandoning it.
Theft and Arrested
Police identified the offender as Nilavar Vishnu, a resident of Peta Varja village. Tirumala crime branch apprehended Vishnu loitering around the Bharati private bus parking lot in Tirupati. On arrest, it was discovered that he still had the bus key.
Cross-checking with Vishnu’s record revealed that he had previously stayed at a government children’s welfare hostel in Saidabad for over a decade until he fled in 2021. Since then, he reportedly became a repeat offender, involved in various petty crimes.
The Heist and Hunt for the Stolen Bus
Upon arriving in Tirumala recently, Vishnu befriended the electric bus staff. He was accused of stealing the bus from its charging point at GNC toll during September 23-24 night. After TTD’s transport authorities reported the theft, Tirumala crime police proceeded to investigate the CCTV footage.
“We deployed teams to locate the missing bus and apprehend the culprit. The vehicle, driven away by Vishnu, was eventually discovered abandoned on the Naidupeta-Sullurpet highway the same day,” declared Assistant Superintendent of Police Vimala Kumari.
SP Parameswara Reddy of Tirupati later commended the police team on successfully resolving the case.
Security Concerns in Tirumala
This audacious theft has spotlighted the security issues in Tirumala, especially during the annual Brahmotsavams event that witnesses the deployment of several security personnel. It was revealed that the stolen bus had managed to cross two toll plazas at the start and end of the first ghat road without arousing any doubt.
This incident prompted the TTD to take measures to review the security apparatus of Tirumala. The details of these proposed measures, however, are yet to be disclosed.
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