Ahmedabad police have arrested three people, including a repeat vehicle theft accused, after uncovering the alleged theft of 11 Hero Splendor motorcycles over two and a half months and a plan to target bikes parked near Navratri venues in the city.
The arrests were made by the Zone 7 Local Crime Branch before the accused could allegedly carry out larger-scale thefts during the festival. The operation focused on areas under the Sarkhej police station, including locations along the SG Highway where large garba events are expected to draw significant crowds.
The main accused has been identified as Bipin Parmar, a resident of Wadhwan. According to the report carried by Nav Gujarat Samay, police said Parmar had previously been involved in 23 vehicle theft cases across Changodar, Bavla, Sarkhej, Sola and Surendranagar. He had also previously been detained under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act and released from prison.
Police said Parmar then allegedly resumed vehicle thefts, targeting Hero Splendor motorcycles in particular. The 11 motorcycles identified in the current investigation were allegedly stolen from Surendranagar, Sarkhej, Changodar and Bopal within roughly two and a half months. The police attributed these details to questioning during the investigation.
Two alleged receivers, Arkaan Malek and Sahilkhan Maniyar, both residents of Fatewadi, were also arrested. Police said the pair had purchased the stolen motorcycles for between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000 each. According to the report, the motorcycles were intended to be collected and sold in Madhya Pradesh.
The case highlights the security challenge created by concentrated visitor movement and informal vehicle parking around large public events. Areas hosting high-profile garba programmes can see a sharp increase in two-wheeler parking, creating conditions in which thefts can be difficult for visitors and venue operators to monitor. The police operation was initiated before the reported plan could be executed during Navratri.
The arrests also point to the wider movement of stolen vehicles across district boundaries. The alleged theft locations span Ahmedabad’s western and peripheral areas as well as Surendranagar, while the proposed resale destination was outside Gujarat. Such a pattern requires coordination between local police stations and crime branch teams because the theft, storage and resale of vehicles may take place in different jurisdictions.
The Zone 7 Local Crime Branch team led by Police Sub-Inspector H.D. Vaghela is continuing the investigation. Police are expected to establish the ownership and recovery status of the 11 motorcycles and examine the wider network involved in their movement and resale.
