Stolen PMPML bus found

A Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus stolen from Hadapsar-Gadital bus terminus on October 5 was found the next day near Somatne Phata on the old Pune-Mumbai highway.

Bus driver Rohidas Trimbak Raut (28) had lodged a complaint of theft with Hadapsar police station. Police suspect the hand of a former PMPML employee in the case. Police said Raut was on afternoon shift on October 5 and drove the bus from Hadapsar to Nigdi. After completing the trip,he parked the bus at Hadapsar Gadital bus terminus around 9.30 pm and went for dinner at the bus depot as the next trip was scheduled at 10.05 pm. But when he returned,the bus was missing from the spot. Raut lodged a police complaint against unidentified persons. However,the bus was found at Somatne Phata on the morning of October 6.

Senior police inspector Pandharinath Mandhare of Hadapsar police station said,“We suspect the hand of a former PMPML staffer. Investigation is on to identify the bus thief.”

“As per the rules,the stolen property cannot be given back to the owner without court orders but to avoid inconvenience to the public,we have handed over the bus back to PMPML under Section 102 of the Criminal Procedure Code,” Madhare said.