Vehicle thief falls into police dragnet in Bhopal:3 stolen two-wheelers worth Rs 1.5 lakh seized; accused is a habitual offender with huge criminal history

The Hanumanganj police of Bhopal on Friday laid hands on a habitual vehicle thief and recovered three stolen two-wheelers valued at nearly Rs 1.5 lakh from his possession, the police said. According to the police, the operation was carried out under the leadership of Hanumanganj police station house officer (SHO) Avadhesh Singh Bhadauria, who had formed a dedicated team, after acting on a tip-off. Accused tried to sell bikes at cheap prices SHO Bhadauria said that on September 25, 2025, during routine patrolling, the police received a tip-off about a man wearing a grey T-shirt and black trousers, who was trying to sell a bike at a low price near Paan Mandi on Samantar Road in Bhopal. The cops, acting on the tip-off, rushed to the spot and saw the suspect with an HF Deluxe bike. Upon spotting the police, he tried to flee but was caught after a chase. 3 stolen two-wheelers seized The accused was identified as Istyak alias Basim (31), a resident of Hanumanganj area. During questioning, he admitted to stealing the HF Deluxe (registration number MP04QM8118) from Bhopal Plaza’s parking area a few days earlier. He also confessed to stealing a Splendor bike from near the old vegetable market Gurudwara and a white Activa scooter from BGVT College Road. Acting on his information, police recovered the Splendor and the Activa, both hidden near railway coaches outside platform six at Bhopal station. Accused has a huge criminal history Investigations carried out by the police revealed that the accused has a history of multiple criminal cases, including theft, burglary, arms-related offences, and repeat vehicle thefts across Hanumanganj and Kotwali police stations of Bhopal, as well as at police stations in Sehore district. At least nine prior cases have been registered against him under IPC and BNS sections, the police came to know. Legal action initiated The accused was produced before the Bhopal district court on Friday. As per police, further investigations are underway to trace his possible links with other vehicle theft gangs.