The incident took place when a farmer from Hiriyur town was transporting a truckload of tomatoes worth ₹2.5 lakh to a mandi in Kolar.
Published Jul 23, 2023 | 6:02 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 23, 2023 | 6:14 PM
Photo for representation only.
Amidst the skyrocketing price of tomatoes, a shocking incident unfolded in the RMC Yard area of Bengaluru on 8 July, where a Tamil Nadu couple allegedly stole tomatoes worth ₹2.5 lakh following a carjacking incident.
The accused were identified as M Bhaskaran, a farmer by profession, and his wife Sindhuja.
They hail from the Vaniyambadi town of the Tirupattur district in Tamil Nadu.
The incident came to light following the arrest of the accused couple on Saturday, 22 July.
The police are currently on the lookout for three other suspects connected to the crime. They have been identified as Kumar, Rakesh and Mahesh, who are residents of Sunkadakatte in Bengaluru.
The incident took place on 8 July, when a farmer from the Hiriyur town of the Chitradurga district was transporting a truckload of tomatoes to a mandi (local market) in Kolar.
A case was registered at the RMC Yard Police Station in Bengaluru in this regard.
The perpetrators were booked under Sections 346A (kidnapping, abduction, or wrongful confinement) and 392 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Amidst the soaring price of tomatoes, this was the second incident of tomato theft reported in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, the price of one kilogram of tomatoes is between ₹100 and ₹130 in Bengaluru city.
In the worrying incident that unfolded near the Goraguntepalya junction in Bengaluru, a minor accident escalated into a shocking act of theft and extortion.
Farmer Shivanna and lorry driver Mallesh were attacked by five people, including a woman, while they were transporting over 2 lakh tonnes of tomatoes from Hiriyur town to Kolar on 8 July.
Complainants Shivanna and Mallesh found themselves in a difficult situation when their vehicle accidentally collided with an SUV, allegedly driven by the accused.
Instead of dealing with the situation amicably, the perpetrators demanded an exorbitant compensation of ₹50,000 for the damages caused to their vehicle. Yielding to the demands, the farmer paid them ₹29,000.
However, the scuffle didn’t stop there. The accused not only assaulted the duo but also drove away with the truck loaded with tomatoes.
After fleeing with the truck, the accused allegedly sold the tomatoes at Vaniyambadi town in Tamil Nadu.
Soon after the incident, the RMC Yard police were alerted and they arrested two accused after two weeks.
The police initially treated it as a potential case of road rage. Based on the complaint, the police launched a comprehensive investigation, aided by CCTV footage, and initiated a manhunt for both the suspects and the stolen vehicle.
The authorities were able to track down the stolen truck, which had been taken to Vaniyambadi. The empty lorry was abandoned by the accused near Devanahalli.
They also found that the accused went to great lengths to avoid arrests by altering the number plate of their SUV.
RMC Yard Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Suresh P told South First: “The examination of footage from approximately 25-30 CCTV cameras played a pivotal role in identifying both vehicles involved.”
He added: “The trail of evidence led to the discovery that the accused had fled to Tamil Nadu and sold the truckload of tomatoes in Vaniyambadi.”
He pointed out: “The accused withdrew ₹29,000, which was extorted from the complainants, from an ATM. The transaction provided vital leads for further investigation, leading to the arrest of Bhaskaran and his wife Sindhuja.
The PSI added that both of them had been remanded to three-day judicial custody.
“It also came to light that Bhaskaran was a habitual offender, with a history of approximately 10 cases registered against him at the Vaniyambadi Police Station,” said Suresh.
“Two teams have been dispatched to locate and apprehend the remaining three accused, who are currently at large. We are not able to uncover the whereabouts of these accused. The investigation is underway,” he added.
