Srinagar: Police on Friday said that it has arrested three persons involved in selling stolen vehicles from Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

A statement issued by police said it received information that some persons are involved in selling cars at quite cheaper rates than actual price by way of luring customers.

Later, a preliminary investigation was carried out which revealed that some persons in the Awantipora area are involved in selling stolen vehicles to the customers at cheaper rates and are getting the stolen vehicles from other states of the country, it added.

Upon preliminary investigation report Case FIR No. 188/2020 under section 379,420,467,468,471,120 B IPC was registered at police station Awantipora and accordingly three persons were arrested in the said case, a police spokesperson said. He identified the arrested persons as Mohammad Shafi Dar son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Lethpora, Shameem Ahmad Bhat son of Mohammad Rajab Bhat resident of Lethpora, and Abdul Rashid Bhat son of Ghulam Mohi ud Din resident of Lelhar Kakpora.

From their possession, three stolen vehicles, a Scorpio, 2 Alto K10 cars were recovered from the arrested persons, police said, adding, the modus operandi of the arrested persons was to get vehicles lifted, put fake number plates on the vehicle which normally is existing number plate of the same type of vehicle which is with some genuine person and to make them appear similar to existing registered genuine vehicles so as to misguide the law enforcing agencies as well as general public.

Police has requested the general public not to buy any suspicious vehicles from unauthorized dealers/persons and buy only after proper verification from the police and RTOs concerned.

Further investigation into the matter is in progress and more arrests are expected, the police spokesperson said. (GNS)

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