Police bust e-rickshaw battery theft gang in Kanpur, arrest four accused

Police in Kanpur Dehat district have busted an organized gang specializing in battery thefts from e-rickshaws, arresting four accused and recovering stolen goods in a major breakthrough. The arrests were made by the Bhognipur police station team as part of an ongoing crackdown on crime and theft incidents in the region. Officers seized nine stolen batteries and the auto-rickshaw used in the commission of the crime from the possession of the gang members.

The case came to light on August 20, 2026, when Naushad, a resident of Patel Nagar in Pukhrayan, filed a complaint about his e-rickshaw battery being stolen. A case was registered under section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Acting on intelligence from an informer, police intercepted a suspicious auto-rickshaw near Harda underpass at Bidkhuri crossing on the night of August 21. Four young men traveling in the vehicle were found in possession of the nine stolen batteries.

During interrogation, the accused revealed their modus operandi. They confessed to roaming the streets at night in their auto-rickshaw, targeting e-rickshaws parked in lanes and outside homes to steal batteries. The gang admitted to stealing multiple batteries from Ward Number 3 in Pukhrayan on the nights of August 17 and 19 as well. They were planning to sell the stolen batteries at cheap rates in Kanpur city when police apprehended them en route.

The successful operation was carried out by a police team comprising Sub-Inspector Saurabh Singh, Head Constable Raju Tyagi, Constable Amit Kumar, and Constable Vishal. Police have enhanced the charges against the accused and initiated further legal proceedings according to established protocols. The arrests mark a significant step in controlling the rising menace of battery thefts that has been troubling e-rickshaw owners across the district.