Illegal Crude Oil Tanker Held, Nine Arrested in Digboi

OUR CORRESPONDENT

DIGBOI: As a part of the ongoing crackdown against various forms of illegalities, drug racket and socio -economic offenses being intensified by SP Tinsukia Debojit Deori in entire Tinsukia District, a crude oil ladden oil tanker with around 13000 litres of liquid consignment was held beside arresting 9 persons involved in the racket here at Digboi at the wee hours on Friday.

The nexus of the illegal trade was busted following the arrest of the 9 accused identified as Karna Chetia (38) of Bhimpara Lohari Nepali area of Tinsukia, Noren Bora (31) of Tinsukia's Hukanpukhuri area, Luhit Duwarah (44) of Luhari Kachari Gaon in Tinsukia, Jitendar Saha (25) of Balugadha Sabji Bazar area, Sanjay Yadav (32) of Balugadha area of Tinsukia, Runujyoti Gogoi (50) and Mantu Gogoi of Digboi's Lakhipather area, Narendra Konwar of Muzafarpur District and Madan Kumar of Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh.

"The team of Assam Police led by Ripunjoy Kakoty the Additional Superintendent of Police Tinsukia working on a special format chased the illegal tanker and intercepted the vehicle at Tingrai on NH38 and arrested the smugglers who were escorting the property," said Tinsukia SP Debojit Deori.

The illegally procured consignment from Langkashi Oil Well of Oil India Limited was being transported via Digboi towards Makum late night while the cops wearing civil uniform on two wheelers made a breakthrough.

"Normally, the thieves steals crude Oil from underground Pipelines, however, this Gang stole Crude Oils directly from Oil collecting Centres at Lankachi. Prima facie, It came to light that a big nexus including Local People and Oil Security Personnel are involved in stealing crude Oil from Oil collecting Centres," added the Tinsukia SP.

'The gang members was allegedly involved in the Transportation of crude oil Tankers from OIL to the oil collecting Centres.The remaining crude oil in the Tankers are being stolen by the Gang. During this operation, an oil Tank Truck with 30,000-kilo Litre capacity was seized. The Nine-Member Gang are the Security Personnel at the Oil collection centres, said SP Deori.

According to sources, two of the accused were the security personnels deployed in the oil well who were hand in gloves with in the network of the thieves.

Luit Duwarah and Mantu Gogoi were suspected to be the kingpin in the entire trade who were running the nexus of crude oil business and oil pilferage from various locations of the oil pipelines. The tanker along with the property and two more escorting vehicles used in the act by the gang was brought under police custody.

Meanwhile, interrogation of the accused was being intensified connecting possible dots so that more invisible hand in the network might surface in due course of time.

Investigation is being carried out.

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