Thaindian News

Aizawl/Agartala, Oct 15 (IANS) Vehicle thefts are rampant in two northeastern states of Mizoram and Tripura, bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh, though some of the stolen cars and two-wheelers have been recovered, police reports said Saturday.

In Mizoram, at least 60 small cars were stolen by thieves or organised gangs so far this year.

“Police have so far recovered 21 of the 60 stolen vehicles from different parts of Mizoram but many of them were believed to have been taken to neighbouring states and countries,” a Mizoram Police report said.

According to the police report, the total number of small cars stolen during the last four years has gone up to 255. Of these, about half were recovered and returned to the owners.

“As many as 76 vehicles were stolen during 2009 while 52 vehicles were stolen in 2008 and 67 last year,” the report stated.

A senior Mizoram Police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IANS: “An inter-state gang is active in the northeast. We have intensified our efforts to nab the gang with the help of security forces of other states.”

Motorcycle thefts are common in Tripura, bordering Bangladesh.

“Every month at least 10 to 12 two-wheelers were being stolen in different parts of Tripura and many of them are smuggled out to Bangladesh where the bike engine is used in motorised boats,” a Tripura Police official said.

He said that the state police authorities have asked the Border Security Force (BSF) to tighten their vigil along the India-Bangladesh border to check the smuggling and other border crimes.

Four northeastern states — Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam — share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh, while India and Bhutan share a 643-km unfenced border. Mizoram also has international border of 404-km with Myanmar.