Two persons who had allegedly stolen a tyre of a Mirage fighter jet being transported in a truck to Jodhpur from Lucknow returned the tyre a few days later, police said on Saturday.
The two persons claimed they had taken the tyre with them thinking that it belonged to a truck, said Lucknow police.
An FIR had been lodged at Ashiana police station under Section 379 (punishment for theft) of Indian Penal Code on the complaint of the truck driver. He alleged that some unidentified persons had stolen one of the five Mirage fighter aircraft tyres that he was carrying in his truck.
The truck was transporting air force equipment from Bakshi Ka Talab Air force station to Jodhpur.
On December 4, two persons identified as Deepraj, a driver, and his nephew Himanshu Bansal, arrived at the BKT Air force station and returned the tyre, said police, adding that the air force officials confirmed it was the stolen tyre.
During questioning the two persons said that on November 26, around 10:30-10:45 pm they had found a tyre on Shaheed Path Cinepolis lying between the main road and service road. They took it home thinking it was the tyre of a truck, said police.
On December 3, the two came across the news about the stolen jet tyre and after figuring out that the tyre in their possession looked unusual decided to return it, added police.
Further legal action is underway.
