GUWAHATI: Guwahati police busted a major vehicle theft racket on Monday, March 17, which led to the arrest of seven individuals and the recovery of 13 stolen motorcycles. The racket involved transporting stolen vehicles from Assam to Manipur, as it was uncovered following a complaint from Rajib Duwari of Lakhimpur regarding his stolen bike on March 11.
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According to police, the motorcycles were stolen from various locations and transported using a bus with registration number MN-01-2195, which has also been seized. The arrested individuals have been identified as Gaingamlung Golmei and Heibokmayum Monouwar from Thoubal, Manipur; Inamul Ali alias Sahil from Rangia, Assam; Nk Naga Naomi and Leivon Sangte Kom from Senapati, Manipur; Raju Sankhare from Imphal West, Manipur; and Muhammad Akbar from Imphal East, Manipur.
During a press briefing held on Monday, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Anurag Sharma said that the stolen bikes were smuggled to Manipur and further transported to Myanmar for resale. The police are also currently investigating the involvement of bus employees in facilitating the transportation of stolen vehicles from Guwahati to Manipur.
Further investigations indicated that the gang operated with high efficiency, stealing motorcycles in under a minute. In some cases, as many as four vehicles were stolen in a single day in Guwahati. The gang used flight travel to reach Guwahati, stayed for a few days, and executed thefts before smuggling the vehicles across state borders.
The first breakthrough in the case came with the arrest of Assam-based linkman Inamul Hussain from Goalpara. Hussain was responsible for coordinating between the thieves and potential buyers. Additionally, the police are investigating reports that a young woman was also involved in the syndicate.
The investigation is ongoing, as authorities are working to recover more stolen vehicles and apprehend other individuals linked to the racket.
