Traffic e-challan helps cops nab bike thief | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: On a sweltering Thursday afternoon in Bhubaneswar’s Old Town area, what seemed like a perfect motorcycle theft turned into an unexpected lesson in modern policing, thanks to technology.
S Somesh parked his motorcycle near a cricket playground in Old Town, only to find it missing minutes later. Rushing to the nearby Lingaraj police station with a heavy heart, he began filing his complaint. Little did he know that fate – and technology – had other plans.
Meanwhile, the thief, feeling confident about his successful heist, sped towards Cuttack on NH-16. In his haste and overconfidence, he made a big mistake — riding without a helmet. As he passed through Pahala, the automated camera enforcement system silently captured his violation.
Back at the police station, Somesh’s phone buzzed. It was an SMS notification regarding an e-challan about a traffic violation – on his stolen motorcycle. The automated cameras, designed to catch traffic violators, inadvertently became a powerful tool in tracking down the stolen vehicle.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Somesh later recalled. “The same motorcycle I was reporting stolen was just caught breaking traffic rules!” He immediately showed the message to the officers, who sprang into action.
Lingaraj police quickly coordinated with their counterparts across different jurisdictions along the highway. Their swift response created a net that was rapidly closing in on the unsuspecting thief.
Within hours, police detained the accused near Pahala. During initial questioning, investigators discovered this might not be an isolated incident. “We’re investigating possible connections to other motorcycle thefts in the area,” a police officer revealed. “This case might help us uncover a larger network of vehicle thieves”.
Police said the incident has become a testament to how modern technology, even when designed for one purpose, can serve justice in unexpected ways. “We are questioning the suspect. His formal arrest will be made on Friday. We are working to uncover more details about the theft network,” the police officer said.
S Somesh parked his motorcycle near a cricket playground in Old Town, only to find it missing minutes later. Rushing to the nearby Lingaraj police station with a heavy heart, he began filing his complaint. Little did he know that fate – and technology – had other plans.
Meanwhile, the thief, feeling confident about his successful heist, sped towards Cuttack on NH-16. In his haste and overconfidence, he made a big mistake — riding without a helmet. As he passed through Pahala, the automated camera enforcement system silently captured his violation.
Back at the police station, Somesh’s phone buzzed. It was an SMS notification regarding an e-challan about a traffic violation – on his stolen motorcycle. The automated cameras, designed to catch traffic violators, inadvertently became a powerful tool in tracking down the stolen vehicle.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Somesh later recalled. “The same motorcycle I was reporting stolen was just caught breaking traffic rules!” He immediately showed the message to the officers, who sprang into action.
Lingaraj police quickly coordinated with their counterparts across different jurisdictions along the highway. Their swift response created a net that was rapidly closing in on the unsuspecting thief.
Within hours, police detained the accused near Pahala. During initial questioning, investigators discovered this might not be an isolated incident. “We’re investigating possible connections to other motorcycle thefts in the area,” a police officer revealed. “This case might help us uncover a larger network of vehicle thieves”.
Police said the incident has become a testament to how modern technology, even when designed for one purpose, can serve justice in unexpected ways. “We are questioning the suspect. His formal arrest will be made on Friday. We are working to uncover more details about the theft network,” the police officer said.
