Batteries worth Rs 1.8 lakh were stolen from 26 buses and minibuses in Jadavpur on Thursday night

The vehicle owners blocked Raja SC Mullick Road for half an hour from 10am on Friday, demanding immediate arrest of the thieves. Till evening, no one was arrested though several persons were detained for interrogation.

The theft came to light around 6am when a couple of minibus drivers turned up at the 8B bus stand in Jadavpur, where the vehicles were parked overnight. Soon after, the drivers and conductors of the dozen other minibuses parked at the stand realised that batteries were missing from their vehicles, too.

Around the same time, the drivers and conductors of private buses parked at Palbazar learnt that batteries were also missing from their vehicles.

As word spread, the owners of the buses and mini-buses blocked the road in front of Jadavpur police station.

“We have raided a few pockets in Garfa and along Prince Anwar Shah Road and detained a few. There should be a breakthrough soon,” said a senior officer of Jadavpur police station.

“We pay Rs 350 each to the civic body every month as parking fee. Every time we approached the police and expressed concern over security of the vehicles, officers told us there was nothing to worry. Now we demand an answer,” said Abesh Da, of the Minibus Operators Coordination Committee.