Nagpur/Amravati: In a major breakthrough, the Amravati Police recovered a Shivshahi bus worth Rs 1.53 crore, stolen from Nagpur’s Imamwada Bus Stand, within 24 hours of the theft and arrested an alleged inter-state vehicle thief believed to be involved in a series of bus thefts across multiple states.

The accused, identified as Vishnu Ganpati Nilawar (23), a resident of Hayatnagar in Telangana’s Rangareddy district, was arrested following a swift operation by the Rajapeth Police.

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According to the police, the luxury Shivshahi bus (MH-49 BH-8258) had been parked at the Imamwada Bus Stand in Nagpur for charging on the night of July 1, when it was allegedly stolen. A case had already been registered at Ganeshpeth Police Station, which launched an investigation.

Acting on a tip-off, Rajapeth Police beat marshals Sarang Adamane and Vijay Dhurve traced the stolen vehicle to the Nanda Market area in Amravati. During the operation, police seized the bus and subsequently apprehended the accused from Gadre Chowk.

During interrogation, Nilawar allegedly confessed to stealing the Shivshahi bus from Nagpur. Police said the accused further revealed that he had stolen nearly 20 buses from different locations in Telangana, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and Nanded, indicating the possible involvement of a well-organised inter-state vehicle theft network.

Investigators also found that the accused allegedly dismantled the stolen buses after theft, removing valuable components such as batteries, tyres and brake discs for sale in the black market, while abandoning the remaining portions of the vehicles.

Police said several bus theft cases had already been registered against the accused in different jurisdictions.

The recovered Shivshahi bus, estimated to be worth Rs 1.53 crore, has been handed over to the Nagpur Police along with the accused for further investigation. Investigators are now probing whether the accused acted alone or was part of a larger organised gang involved in stealing and dismantling commercial passenger buses across multiple states.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Rakesh Ola, Deputy Commissioner of Police Shyam Ghughe, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Khatale, and Rajapeth Police Station Senior Police Inspector Sandeep Chavan along with their investigation team.

Police suspect the arrest could help unravel a larger inter-state racket involved in the theft and illegal dismantling of passenger buses and other heavy commercial vehicles.