In a significant breakthrough, the Anantapur Police arrested nine individuals involved in the theft of 940 Kia car engines from a manufacturing unit in Erramanchi, Penugonda Mandal. The police launched a major crackdown that led to the arrests, and the suspects were presented before the Penugonda court and remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
The main accused, Vinayakan Muthi, hails from Tamil Nadu, while his accomplice, Salim, is from Punganur, Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. The theft came to light on March 19 when the Kia unit’s management filed a complaint with the police. A thorough investigation traced the stolen engines, which are valued at several lakhs of rupees, and led to the successful arrest of the suspects.
Following the arrests, family members of the accused from Tamil Nadu reportedly visited the Penugonda police station, as news of the operation spread. The police have charged the suspects under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
In a separate case in February, the Vijayawada Police arrested a gang of six members from Uttar Pradesh involved in the theft of Rs2.51 crore worth of iPhones and laptops from a warehouse in Enikepadu, Vijayawada. The gang was led by a man named Ranjit, who had been operating in Andhra Pradesh for some time.
