Udupi: A private bus parked behind Hanuman Petrol Bunk in Udupi was allegedly stolen during the early hours of Tuesday, September 29, but police traced the vehicle within hours and recovered it from Mudarangadi in the Shirva area.

The bus, belonging to Sri Durgamba service and bearing registration number KA-20-AD-1931, had been parked at the location on Monday night. The theft was reported after the conductor returned to the spot on Tuesday morning and found the vehicle missing.

Udupi Town Police registered a case following the complaint and launched an investigation. The swift tracing of the bus helped police recover the vehicle on the same day.

Bus parked behind petrol bunk

According to the complaint, Krishna, 51, a resident of Katbelthur in Kundapura, works as the conductor of the Sri Durgamba bus. Rayin Uchila is the driver of the vehicle.

The bus was reportedly parked behind Hanuman Petrol Bunk in Udupi at around 9.48 pm on September 28.

At around 10 pm, Krishna and the driver left the location on a scooter. The bus was left parked at the spot.

There was no indication at that point that the vehicle would go missing. The theft came to light only the following morning when Krishna returned to the petrol bunk area.

Conductor finds bus missing

Krishna reportedly returned to Hanuman Petrol Bunk at around 9 am on September 29. On reaching the parking area, he found that the Sri Durgamba bus was no longer there.

The missing vehicle prompted him to alert the police and lodge a complaint with Udupi Town Police.

The complaint stated that two unidentified persons had allegedly arrived on a two-wheeler and stolen the parked bus. The allegation is part of the police investigation and does not by itself establish the identity or involvement of any particular person.

Police began checking the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and launched efforts to trace the vehicle.

Police trace bus to Mudarangadi

The investigation led police to Mudarangadi in the Shirva area, where the missing bus was subsequently found.

The vehicle was taken into police custody as part of the investigation. The recovery brought the search for the stolen bus to an end within hours of the complaint being registered.

The circumstances surrounding how the bus was taken from Udupi and moved towards Mudarangadi are now being examined by investigators.

Police are also expected to investigate the identity and role of the persons allegedly involved in the theft.

Investigation into vehicle theft underway

The case has been registered at Udupi Town Police Station. Investigators are examining the sequence of events between the time the bus was parked on Monday night and when it was discovered missing on Tuesday morning.

The timing provided in the complaint gives police a window between approximately 10 pm on September 28, when the conductor and driver left the location, and 9 am on September 29, when the missing vehicle was noticed.

The investigation will focus on how the bus was accessed, driven away from the parking area and taken towards Shirva.

Police may also examine available evidence from the parking area and the route taken by the vehicle as part of efforts to identify those responsible.

Bus recovered, further details awaited

The recovery of the Sri Durgamba bus has brought relief to its operators, but the investigation into the alleged theft is continuing.

At the time of the available reports, the identities of the persons allegedly responsible had not been established publicly. The police investigation will determine whether anyone is arrested in connection with the case and establish the circumstances of the vehicle’s movement from Udupi to Mudarangadi.

The incident also highlights the vulnerability of large commercial vehicles left unattended at roadside or parking locations overnight. In this case, however, police were able to trace the missing bus on the same day it was reported stolen.

Conclusion

A private Sri Durgamba bus parked behind Hanuman Petrol Bunk in Udupi was reported stolen on September 29 after its conductor found it missing in the morning. Udupi Town Police registered a case and traced the vehicle to Mudarangadi in the Shirva area within hours.

The bus has been recovered and taken into police custody, while investigators continue efforts to establish who allegedly stole the vehicle and how it was moved from Udupi.