Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) | An electric bus, that was used to ferry passengers to the famed hilltop Tirumala Temple in Andhra Pradesh and had been reported stolen on Sunday was recovered from Naidupet, Police said today.

A report about the missing bus was lodged with police by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the affairs of the hill shrine.

The electric bus estimated at Rs 2 crore, sponsored by MEIL Engineering Works as part of its corporate responsibility programme was used by the TTD to ferry pilgrims free of cost to the shrine.

TTD Chief Vigilance and Security Officer Narasimha said, "An AC electrical bus worth Rs 2 crore, which runs for the convenience of devotees walking on the hill in Tirumala, was stolen by unknown people at around 4 am today. The Highway Police recovered the bus on the national highway at Biradawada near Naidupet."

Narasimha stated that an unidentified person decamped with the bus in the early hours today.

"After the TTD staff informed the police in Tirumala about this matter, they detected the bus's movement towards Naidupet based on the GPS installed on the bus. A highway mobile party carried out vehicle checks on the Naidupet national highway," he said.

The bus, which was taken the route from Naidupet to Chennai on the Chennai-Calcutta national highway, was found abandoned on a bypass road. Police said the accused apparently abandoned the bus after it ran out of electric charge.

According to police, efforts are on to trace the accused.