Arun Uppinangadi

Daijiworld Media Network – Puttur (EP)

Puttur, Feb 13: Thieves have decamped with several goods besides diesel from a goods laden lorry at Panjala, Uppinangadi on Friday, February 12 midnight when the driver of the lorry had reportedly stopped the lorry for a nap in the vehicle.

The goods lorry belonging to VRL Logistics Limited which was on its way to Mangaluru had started from Bengaluru on Friday afternoon. Driver Rakesh Prabhu stopped the lorry at midnight at Panjala near a garage as he felt drowsy. As he woke up at about 5.30 am on Saturday morning, he saw the lock of the diesel tank broken and diesel stolen from the tank. As he looked around in the vehicle, he saw the goods part of the vehicle also force opened and goods weighing around four tonnes missing from it.

He informed about it to his company offices in Puttur and Mangaluru who complained to the police. Meanwhile he saw some pedestrians taking away some valuables thrown in front of the house of one Jayantha in Bedrodi and brought it to the notice of the police. Uppinangadi police rushed to the spot, brought the items in another vehicle and kept in the goods lorry.

Puttur ASP Rishyanth, Dakshina Kannada crime division investigation team inspector Amanulla, circle inspector Anil Kulkarni and sub inspector Thimmappa Naik visited the spot and conducted investigation.

As the theft occurred and the lock of the diesel tank was broken when the driver was sleeping in the vehicle, it has raised eyebrows. Besides, as the two doors of the vehicle were broken, there are suspicions as to what was the reason for them to break both the doors. Did the thieves sprinkle chemical on the sleeping driver or how is it that the driver was sleeping during the incident, are the questions remain to be answered.

Though forensic experts and canine squad were brought to the spot, as some items were found in the roadside at Bedrodi and Kelapu and brought back to the lorry, it was difficult to collect finger prints. The use of canine squad was also so far of not use.

Items such as happalas (papads), medicines, gym accessories, helmets, instruments used in hospitals and several such valuable items found in Bedrodi and Kelapu were initially carried away by locals without knowing that those were stolen items. Local resident Jayantha Bedrodi, who saw it, immediately informed about it to the police and helped to protect them. It is suspected that the thieves wanted to steal a particular parcel.

Police are conducting the investigation.