As the tomato prices are nowhere to come down in the market, it has become extremely unsafe for even farmers to transport the precious vegetable. In a recent incident, miscreants stole a Mahindra Bolero jeep carrying tomatoes worth ₹2 lakh in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Theft took place after the farmer's vehicle accidentally touched a car and broke its mirror. The minor accident converted into an altercation. Afterwards, the miscreants forcibly took the driver and farmer to a an isolated location, dropped them there and fled away, reported Coovercolly Indresh of Hindustan Times. 

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A farmer was transporting his tomatoes in a Mahindra Bolero Jeep from Hiriyur in Chitradurga district to the Kolar market, the police told HT. The value of the tomatoes was estimated to be of around ₹2 lakh. The theft took place in the area that comes under the jurisdiction of APMC yard police station in Bengaluru city.

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“During the journey, the Bolero accidentally touched another car, resulting in the car’s mirror being broken. The passengers in the car then got into an altercation with the farmer and Bolero driver, demanding ₹10,000 in damages for their car," police officer told HT.

Soon after the altercation broke out, the miscreants forcibly took the driver and farmer to a secluded location in Budigree. Later, they dropped him there and fled the scene. The farmer and the driver somehow managed to return to the spot only to find out that their Bolero, with tomatoes worth ₹2 lakh, was gone.

“The car sustained minor damage in the accident, but the occupants demanded ₹10,000 as compensation and even threatened us," said the Bolero driver Shivanna, reported HT.

The stolen vehicle contained around 210 crates of tomatoes. Their value was around ₹2 lakh. Soon after the theft, the farmer and the Bolero driver immediately went to RMC yard police station to file a complaint.

The Bolero incident occurred around midnight on Saturday and the police are currently examining CCTV footage to find out the culprits after identifying them.

After receiving the information a case was registered under sections 379 (theft) and 390 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). After the registration of FIR, the police began its investigation in the matter, RMC Yard police inspector B Suresh, told HT. He also advised farmers across the state to remain vigilant.