Assam: 4 Arrested in Crackdown on Oil Theft in Duliajan

GUWAHATI: Assam's illicit oil theft racket appears to have resumed, as the Dibrugarh police recently thwarted an attempted theft. Four individuals, namely Sanjeev Chetia, Sanju Hatimuria, Mukul Hazarika, and Bitupon Phukan were apprehended in connection with the incident. Acting on intelligence information, a police team led by Officer-in-charge Bhaskar Saikia conducted an operation in Bhadoi village, recovering stolen barrels of condensate oil. The arrested individuals were allegedly involved in pilfering condensate from Oil India Limited (OIL) for a considerable period. Additionally, a vehicle with registration number 'AS01 AH 6966' was seized from their possession. The accused have been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the police are committed to dismantling further oil theft networks, with more arrests anticipated.

In a separate operation, Assam Police intercepted and seized an oil tanker truck with the registration number 'AS-06-AC-1691' on June 15 at Makun Bypass Road. The truck, en route to Digboi, was involved in the theft of oil and was apprehended after a brief pursuit. The driver, Buddhi Das, was interrogated, and an ongoing investigation aims to uncover additional connections.

Previously, on April 27, an incident of oil theft occurred in Bokakhat, Golaghat district. Unidentified perpetrators attempted to steal oil by digging and cutting a pipeline near Sapjuri Rongali village. Authorities discovered a shovel, a container, and other tools used in the crime at the scene.

Earlier in March, Digboi Police had apprehended twelve individuals for their alleged involvement in an oil pilferage racket. Assam Police had seized five tankers smuggling crude oil at the Assam-Arunachal border and also impounded a Bolero vehicle in connection with the case.

In another successful operation, Lumding police conducted a raid near Pranabananda Vidyamandir School, resulting in the seizure of an oil-laden tanker (registration number AS-01-HC-3011), a Tata Ace car (registration number AS-01-NC-8534), and two drums containing a total of 420 liters of oil. Dilip Das, the tanker's driver, was detained during the raid. Led by police officer Chandan Jyoti Bora, the operation seeks to dismantle the thriving oil smuggling racket in the region, which involves oil from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL). Both the Lumding police and the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Hojai are actively investigating the matter and working towards eradicating the smuggling network.

These recent events underscore the persistent challenge of oil theft in Assam, prompting law enforcement agencies to intensify their efforts in combating this illegal activity and securing the region's valuable resources.

ALSO READ: Indonesia Open 2023 : Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty First Indians to Win The Tournament

ALSO WATCH: