Tanker thief runs out of fuel & luck, caught Nagpur: A water tanker thief found himself stranded after his stolen vehicle ran out of fuel, leading to his swift arrest by local police. The incident unfolded when Anshuman Tiwari, owner of a cement plant, reported his tanker (MH 31 CQ 7353) missing from his parking area near Mouda. The vehicle, valued at nearly Rs25 lakh, was stolen around 5pm on Monday. Police in Wadoda, under the supervision of Superintendent of Police Harssh A Poddar and Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Mhaske, launched an investigation within hours. The suspect, Tilochan Kumar (30), a labourer from Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh, had vanished from his workplace and disabled his mobile phone, raising red flags for investigators. Using technical evidence, mobile tracking, and intelligence inputs, police identified Kumar as the prime suspect. He had driven the tanker approximately 25km toward Nagpur, intending to transport it to Chhattisgarh for sale. However, the vehicle’s fuel tank was empty, and the ongoing fuel crisis in West Asia left him unable to procure diesel. Kumar abandoned the tanker near Itwari railway station, hoping to refuel later. Instead, he was apprehended by police who tracked him down. During interrogation, he confessed to the theft. The entire operation, from the initial complaint to the recovery and arrest, was completed in just four hours by the police team led by Assistant PI Manoj Gudade. Further investigations are underway to determine if Kumar had involvement in similar incidents previously. The case highlights the challenges posed by the fuel crisis, which has disrupted even illicit activities. Kumar’s attempt to exploit the situation backfired as his escape plan collapsed due to both logistical and resource limitations.#anshuman_tiwari #harssh_a_poddar #anil_mhaske #tilochan_kumar #rajnandgaon_district
