Hyderabad Police Arrest Key Suspect in Bus Chain Theft; Three Accomplices Still at Large

Hyderabad law enforcement has made a significant breakthrough in a bus chain theft case, securing the arrest of the main perpetrator while recovering the stolen jewellery.

The theft took place on June 23 aboard TGSRTC Route 72J, which had departed from Lal Darwaza Cross Road. The targeted victim, 61-year-old Gattu Seetharama Rao, was positioned near the footboard due to the crowded conditions inside the bus.

According to investigators, the accused individuals deliberately clustered around the passenger to create confusion. Seizing this opportunity, they removed the gold chain from his neck and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

The victim became aware of the theft only after disembarking at Yashoda Hospital, where he subsequently filed a formal report with Chaderghat Police.

Surveillance footage proved instrumental in the investigation. Officers reviewed CCTV recordings from the area and identified the primary accused as Kamle Ratan, also known as Ratan Badal, a 42-year-old autorickshaw operator with a criminal history of property offences. He was residing in Mangalhat Basti, Mallepally.

Acting on investigative leads, police located and arrested him on Friday morning in the Mangalhat Basti locality. Upon searching his person, officers recovered the 2.5-tola gold chain complete with its pendant.

During the interrogation, the arrested suspect revealed that he had collaborated with three other men identified as Salman, Ismail, and Ibrahim to commit the theft. These three individuals remain at large, and police have deployed special units to track them down and make arrests.

The investigation team, headed by SI B. Krishna Reddy, Inspector K.B. Murari, and Detective Inspector B. Srinivasa Rao, received commendation from senior officials for their swift resolution of the case and successful recovery of the stolen item.