A PRTC bus theft in Ludhiana has left officials and employees shocked, with the incident resembling a carefully planned operation. The thieves allegedly stole a high-end PRTC bus from a parking area located directly opposite the Ludhiana Bus Stand depot.
According to the bus driver, a Bolero pickup carrying around seven to eight people arrived near the parking area at about 12:30 am on August 28. The group reportedly stayed there for nearly two hours, apparently observing the surroundings and planning the theft.
At around 2:20 am, when the area was relatively deserted, the suspects allegedly drove the bus out of the parking lot. No entry was reportedly made at the gate, and nobody stopped or questioned them while they took the vehicle away.
The stolen bus was a BS-VI Phase 2-6 high-end model equipped with an advanced system. The driver said the thieves broke the ignition switch wiring and started the bus by directly connecting the wires, suggesting that someone involved may have had detailed knowledge of the vehicle's electrical system.
The bus was discovered missing when the driver arrived for duty at around 7:30 am the following morning. A search was launched, and after several hours, the vehicle was found near Dhatt village, around two kilometres before the Chaunkiman toll plaza and nearly 21 kilometres from the city.
When the team reached the spot, the bus had reportedly been placed on bricks. The thieves had removed the tyres, both batteries and ignition wiring. They also allegedly damaged and removed the CCTV cameras installed inside the bus, apparently to eliminate evidence.
The incident has reportedly caused a direct loss of around Rs 7-8 lakh to the owner.
Following the theft, PRTC employees have been visiting Police Station No. 5 and meeting the SHO regarding the case. Police officials said they have identified the registration number of the Bolero used by the suspects with the help of CCTV footage. However, no arrests have been reported so far.
