A second-year student, a youth undergoing merchant navy training and a cellphone mechanic were arrested on Sunday afternoon in connection with a motorcycle theft racket.

According to an officer of Bhowanipore police station, Abhisekh Roy, 23, Ravi Shankar Singh, 23, and Sudhir Singh, 22, were held on SP Mukherjee Road.

Three motorbikes allegedly stolen by them were seized. “They had sold off the bikes for a paltry sum. The trio were involved in the racket for six to eight months. We are trying to trace the mastermind,” said an officer.

“Ravi was undergoing merchant navy training at an institute in Hastings while Sudhir is a second-year student. Abhisekh, a Class VI dropout, used to repair mobile phones at a shop in Bansdroni,” added the officer.

Abhisekh is a resident of Bansdroni while Rabi stays with his family at Kidderpore. Sudhir resides in a slum near Presidency jail.

A rowdy tipped off the police about the three. “He told us that they would meet an associate on SP Mukherjee Road. We overpowered the three as soon as they got off a taxi,” said another officer.