4 Meerut cops suspended for links to ‘Sotiganj-style vehicle theft racket’

Meerut: Four police officers posted at Lohiyanagar Police Station have been suspended after an internal probe exposed their involvement in a vehicle theft and dismantling racket operating in the area. The action was taken by Kalanidhi Naithani, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Meerut Range, following revelations made by an auto-theft gang arrested by Hapur Police. During interrogation, the gang disclosed that stolen vehicles were being dismantled in Lohiyanagar, much like the now-defunct stolen parts market in Sotiganj. Among those suspended are SHO Vishnu Gautam, chowki in-charge sub-inspector Dinesh Kumar, and two beat constables. All four have been line-attached, and departmental proceedings have been recommended.
The matter came to light after the arrest of one Mohd Sajid, accused of vehicle theft, by Hapur Police in Aug last year. During questioning, Sajid revealed a network involved in dismantling stolen motorcycles and selling their parts illegally. He admitted that the gang would steal motorcycles from various cities, transport them to Meerut, and strip them for parts, which were then sold illegally.
The case surfaces three years after authorities shut down the infamous Sotiganj Market in Meerut — once a notorious hub for illegal vehicle parts — following a year-long crackdown that led to the seizure of large quantities of vehicle parts and multiple arrests.