The accused told the police he stole the bus to seek revenge following an argument with a conductor over a monetary dispute.
Published Feb 14, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 14, 2025 | 7:00 AM
A MTC SLF bus (For representational purposes only)
Synopsis: A 33-year-old man stole a Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus in a drunken state and crashed it near the Akkarai checkpost early Thursday. Abraham, a Besant Nagar resident, told police he took the unattended Route 109 bus around 2 am following a dispute with a conductor the previous day.
A 33-year-old car interior designer stole a Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus from the Thiruvanmiyur bus stand in the early hours of Thursday, 13 February, before crashing it near the Akkarai checkpost, police said.
Abraham, a resident of Besant Nagar, drove the Route 109 bus into a concrete structure around 2 am. A cement mixer truck was involved in the collision but remained undamaged. The truck driver immediately alerted the police, who arrived to find the accused sitting in the driver’s seat.
The Greater Chennai Police confirmed the arrest on X (formerly Twitter): “An individual has been apprehended for the theft of an MTC bus from the bus terminus. The vehicle has been successfully recovered.”
🚨 Thiruvanmiyur PS 🚨
🚔 An individual has been apprehended for the theft of an MTC bus from the bus terminus. The vehicle has been successfully recovered. 🚍🔒
🚔 பேருந்து நிலையத்தில் நிறுத்தி வைத்திருந்த மாநகர பேருந்தை திருடி ஓட்டிச்சென்ற நபர் கைது. பேருந்து மீட்பு.#GCP
— GREATER CHENNAI POLICE -GCP (@chennaipolice_) February 13, 2025
“We have booked the accused for theft and remanded him in custody,” said Rajesh, a spokesperson from the Chennai Police Commissioner’s office.
Abraham told the police he stole the bus to seek revenge following an argument with a conductor over a monetary dispute during his journey to Guduvanchery the previous day.
Abraham allegedly waited at the Thiruvanmiyur bus stand until 2 am after consuming alcohol, before driving away the unattended vehicle while the station guard was asleep.
Venkatesan, an employee at the Thiruvanmiyur depot, told South First: “It is very normal for keys to be left inside the bus. The engine and lights are turned off, but in most cases, the keys remain in the bus. This is possibly the reason why this theft happened.”
MTC officials are investigating the security lapse at the bus stand.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
