SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 7: Police in Dhanbad have busted an inter-district motorcycle theft gang, arresting five accused and recovering eight stolen motorcycles from different locations in Dhanbad and Jamtara districts. Those arrested have been identified as Rajiv Murmu, Chitranjan Tudu, Sonaram Tudu, Sanatan Hembram, and Rafique Ansari.
Dhanbad Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Dhirendra Narayan Banka informed the media that one stolen bike was recovered in the Tundi area of Dhanbad, while the remaining seven were found in various localities under different police stations areas of Jamtara district.
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Midnight Operation Leads to Breakthrough
Following directives from Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) H.P. Janardhanan, a late-night vehicle checking operation was carried out around 1 am on Tuesday near Pokharia More under the East Tundi police station, approximately 35 km from the district headquarters.
During the checking, police apprehended a suspect, identified as Sanatan Hembram, who was riding a motorcycle. Upon interrogation, Hembram confessed that the bike was stolen and claimed he had purchased it from Gudi Ansari alias Rafique Ansari of Jamtara district.
Link to Jamtara-Based Gang Uncovered
Acting swiftly, East Tundi police station officer-in-charge Ravi Kumar contacted their counterparts in Jamtara. Subsequently, Rafique Ansari was arrested from Lakhanpur village under Narayanpur police station limits.
During questioning, Rafique Ansari admitted to being part of a gang involved in stealing motorcycles from multiple districts. He revealed that the gang altered vehicle number plates and chassis numbers before selling them at prices ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000.
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Multiple Arrests and Vehicle Recoveries
Based on Ansari’s confession, police recovered seven more stolen motorcycles and arrested three additional individuals. Police recovered three motorcycles each from the homes of Rajiv Murmu and Sonaram Tudu, and one each from Rafique Ansari and Chitranjan Tudu. Investigations are ongoing to trace other members of the gang and recover more stolen vehicles.
