E-Paper
Gang involved in stealing fuel from tankers busted
Gang members would steal a portion of fuel and replace it with similar-looking chemicals; the stolen diesel/petrol was then sold at discounted prices in rural areas: DCP
LUCKNOW A gang involved in stealing diesel and petrol from tankers departing the HPCL depot in Lucknow was on Monday busted by a joint team of the Sarojini Nagar police station and the surveillance cell of South Zone, said officials.
The gang members were in collaboration with tanker drivers. They would steal a portion of the fuel and replace it with similar-looking chemicals sourced from Unnao. The stolen diesel/petrol was then sold at discounted prices in rural areas such as Kakori, Mohammada, Chakauli, Behta, and Samda, said DCP (south zone) Nipun Agarwal.
“Five members of the gang were arrested while in the act of siphoning oil from a tanker near TS Mishra University,” he said, adding the involvement of cops posted at the outpost also surfaced and soon action will be taken.
“Efforts are underway to trace and apprehend two more accomplices. This is a major success in curbing fuel-related crimes in the region,” said Agarwal, adding that an FIR had been registered at Sarojini Nagar police station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Essential Commodities Act. Further investigation is underway.
The gang had been operating for several months and using sophisticated methods to steal oil and replace it with chemicals before the tanker reached its destination, he said.
The arrested accused were identified as Ajay Yadav, 38, Omprakash Yadav, 30, Mirajuddin, 30, Jagdeep Prajapati, 29, and Arun Kumar, 22, all residents of Lucknow or nearby areas, stated Lucknow Police.
“The police conducted a raid and caught the suspects red-handed while stealing fuel from the tanker using a motorised filler machine. The cops recovered 38 chemical-filled blue drums (approx. 7,400 litres), one drum with 50 litres of petrol, and several vehicles including a tanker, a pickup vehicle, an SUV, and a motorcycle,” said the DCP. The driver of the tanker managed to flee from the spot.
Ajay Yadav and Omprakash Yadav are believed to be the masterminds of the operation, with Omprakash already having a criminal history in similar cases. The police also recovered 27 additional drums of stolen fuel from a warehouse in Behta.
