'Big steal': Thief drives off with RTC bus in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, July 23 (IANS) In a bizarre incident, a bus belonging to state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) was stolen in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district on Wednesday.

Alerted by the APSRTC officials, the police intercepted the stolen vehicle and arrested the thief a few hours later.

The ‘Palle Velugu’ bus of APSRTC belonging to Atmakur depot had reached Nellore town from Atmakur on Tuesday night. After parking the vehicle at the bus stand, driver Jeelani went to the restroom.

On Wednesday morning, when the driver went to the bus stand to resume his duty, he was shocked to find the bus missing. He immediately informed the APSRTC officials, who, in turn, lodged a complaint with the police.

The police scanned the CCTV footage from different locations around the town. The stolen bus was captured on CCTV at the Bucchireddypalem toll gate. The police swung into action and intercepted the bus near Nellorepalem Circle, about 50 km from Nellore town and arrested the thief.

The thief was identified as B. Krishna, of Kancherla village of Vidavalur mandal in the same district. The police were questioning him about the motive behind his action.

This is not the first such incident in Andhra Pradesh.

In 2002, a man in Vizianagaram district stole a bus of the APSRTC to reach home.

The stolen bus belonging to the Palakonda depot of APSRTC was found in Kandisa village after several hours of search by the police along with Corporation officials.

The students' special bus was stolen from Vangara mandal headquarters after the driver had parked the vehicle for the night.

After a frantic search for several hours, the stolen bus was found in Meesala Dolapeta in Regidi Amadalavalasa mandal.

A few suspects were rounded up by the police. During questioning, Chowdary Suresh confessed that he had stolen the bus.

He told the police that he did not find any transport to reach his village and after seeing the parked bus, he took it away to reach home. He committed the theft in an inebriated condition.

--IANS

ms/vd