Drunk man rides off with cop's bike mistaking it to be friends', held

This picture has been used for representational purposes.

Chennai: A 27-year-old man was arrested, four days after allegedly taking a motorbike belonging to a policeman parked near Guindy police station in Chennai, mistaking it to be a friends' vehicle while in an inebriated state.

A report in Times of India said that the accused, identified as Arunraj, was also booked for drunk-driving. The bike he took belonged to armed reserve constable Arunkumar, who parked it near the police station before leaving for his hometown.

According to the police, on November 25, Arunraj, who works as a bank executive at a private firm, visited his friends' house and borrowed it. He had then parked it near a government-owned liquor outlet in Guindy.

After consuming liquor, he was going to his friend's house when the police stalled him for drunk-driving and confiscated the bike and was fined. He then went to his friend's house and told him that the bike ran out of fuel. Later, he went to Guindy police station where he thought the bike was taken to, whereas the police had actually towed to Saidapet. Arunraj then saw a bike near the police station, believing that it is his friend's. The key was not on the bike but as its ignition was on, he rode off with it.

After picking up the motorbike, when he realised that it did not belong to his friend, he took it to a garage, changed its number plate and started using it. Arunkumar, when returned four days after the incident, registered a complaint with the police after finding his bike missing. The police then checked the CCTV footage of the area in which Arunraj was seen riding the bike, after which he was traced and arrested.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates