Police bust vehicle lifting gang

IMPHAL, April 1: A team of Imphal East district police and police commandos have arrested a gang of vehicle lifters including a mother and son duo and recovered 13 two wheeler vehicles from the gang.

The gang members along with the recovered vehicles were paraded before the media person yesterday at the Imphal East police station.

Speaking to the media,the Additional Superintendent of Police (operation) Imphal East, Moirangthem Rajen said that in the last few months the district police had received many complaints about  vehicles being stolen from the front of the Bhagyachandra Open Air Theater (BOAT) palace compound on the occasion of every function held at BOAT and from some other parts of the district. "In order to nab the vehicle lifters, the district police along with the Imphal East district police commando conducted frisking and checking in different part of the district," he said.

He further said that on 30th march at around 4.30 pm when a team of district police commando team was conducting frisking and checking in the eastern side of the Minuthong area, one youth was found coming in a suspicious manner on a white coloured Honda activa without any registration number. During his verification,  the youth identified himself as Naorem Thomas alias Malemnganba (21) son of (L) Bokul of Chingkhu Mayai leikai and also revealed that the Honda activa he was driving was a stolen one and that he was to go to a workshop called "Ebai workshop" where he had already kept another stolen vehicle. Police recovered six Honda activa vehicles, all without any  registration number.

The youth also disclosed his other associates in the vehicle lifting gang and thereafter,   four others, including a mother and son duo. The arrested persons are identified as Maibam Rakesh alias Guru (20) son of M Khogen from whom police have recovered one black FZ- Yamaha, one R15 Yamaha motorcycle and one bajaj pulser while Two Honda activas were further recovered from M Rakesh's mother, Maibam ongbi Reena Devi (40), wife of M Khogen of Khundrakpam Awang Leikai.

One FZ- Yamaha motorcycle was recovered from the possession of Md Ahkalas Khan (20), son of Md Hidjur Khan of Sangaiyumpham Part 1 at present Imphal West commando complex while another FZ- motorcycle was recovered from

Sarangthem Tomba (32), son of S Mani of Yairipok Heirong at present Thoubal district, near DC office.

Tomba, a mechanic by profession reportedly would take up the task of tampering with  the engine and chassis number of the stolen two wheeler vehicles for the past few months. Police also seized the tools used by the him: one hammer, one T-shape ring, one chaka box, one 10/14 pana and one sharp pin. All together, 13 two wheeler vehicles whi include one R15, one Bajaj Pulser, three Yamaha FZ and eight Honda activas were recovered by the police. All the vehicles were without any registration number.

Additional SP operation M Rajen further said that one of the gang member from Yairipok is still absconding  and that police efforts are in full swing to arrest the vehicle lifter.  He also said that all the arrested vehicle lifters will be handed over to the Porompat police station for further investigation and further appealed to the public of  to double lock their vehicles while parking in public places and in crowded places.