Maharashtra: Inter-state gang of diesel thieves busted in Aurangabad, 14 held

Image Source : ANI Maharashtra: Inter-state gang of diesel thieves busted in Aurangabad, 14 held
Police have busted an inter- state gang of diesel thieves at Kannad in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district and arrested 14 of its members, an official has mentioned. Four vehicles, round 40 containers stuffed with diesel, money and different issues, collectively price over Rs 98 lakh, had been seized through the operation carried out on February 17, the police official mentioned.

“The action was taken based on a complaint lodged in Chikalthana police station in the district on February 16, which said that 3,480 liters of diesel had been stolen from a petrol pump in Chitegaon,” district Superintendent of Police (SP) Mokshada Patil advised reporters on Friday.

The native crime department acquired data {that a} gang from Maharashtra’s Osmanabad district was concerned on this, she mentioned.

The police got here to know that these gang members would fill vehicles with sand from Tapi district of Gujarat and promote it in Osmanabad, she mentioned.

“These gang members used to make a halt at different petrol pumps at night and steal diesel from underground tanks using hand-pumps. After using the stolen diesel for their personal use, they used to sell the remaining fuel to other truck drivers at a cheaper rate,” Patil added.

Following a tip-off, the police arrange a check-point in Shivrai space of Kannad on NH-52.

While checking the vehicles coming from Gujarat, police held three such automobiles that had been discovered carrying sand. Around 40 containers, every stuffed with 35 to 40 liters of diesel, had been additionally present in these vehicles, the SP mentioned, including that 12 individuals travelling within the vehicles had been held.

“During their interrogation, the accused admitted that they had stolen the diesel from a pump at Chitegaon. The accused are residents of Osmanabad district,” she mentioned.

The truck drivers held in Kannad advised the police that one other such car was standing at Zalta Phata in Auranagabad to purchase diesel from them, following which it was seized and two extra individuals had been arrested.

“Police have seized four trucks, 1,540 liters of diesel, three hand pumps along with a 220-feet pipe, cash of Rs 42,700 and eight mobile handsets from these fourteen people. The seized material is collectively worth Rs 98.49 lakh,” one other official mentioned.

Similar offences had been registered in Gujarat, Karnataka and different components of Maharashtra, Patil mentioned, including, “The accused have admitted that they were involved in 36 offences of diesel theft.”

This gang had been stealing diesel because the final 5 years, she added. 

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