BHUBANESWAR: A 35-year-old man, who allegedly posed as an examination candidate to steal mobile phones from scooters parked near examination centres in the city, was arrested by police on Monday. As many as 26 stolen mobile phones and 43 displays and motherboards were recovered from him.
The accused, Dusmanta Subudhi, a native of Gandarpur under Nandankanan police limits, allegedly targeted candidates appearing at computer-based examination centres under Infocity police station limits. He would carry a backpack and mingle with candidates to avoid suspicion.
The case came to light during the investigation into the theft of a scooter and a mobile phone belonging to a candidate who had come to an examination centre in Patia on August 30 to appear for NEET examination.
Following the theft, plainclothes police personnel were deployed near examination centres to identify the suspect. He was caught when he turned up at a centre in the Infocity area and allegedly tried to steal a mobile phone from a scooter.