Four held for transporting banned Mangur worth ₹14.5 lakh in Sangamner

On November 2, while patrolling the Ghargaon police station area, the team, led by Inspector Hemant Thorat and Crime Branch Inspector Kirankumar Kabadi, intercepted the vehicle near Nandurkhandarmala village

Acting on a tip-off, the Crime Branch of Ahilyanagar district police seized a truck carrying banned Mangur fish and arrested four West Bengal residents allegedly en route to Pune.

The truck and the seized goods were taken to Ghargaon police station. (HT)

On November 2, while patrolling the Ghargaon police station area, the team, led by Inspector Hemant Thorat and Crime Branch Inspector Kirankumar Kabadi, intercepted the vehicle near Nandurkhandarmala village.

Police found a large quantity of banned Mangur fish concealed inside. The arrested were identified as Sukumar Dulal Ghosh, 47, Tarak Dilip Sarkar, 27, Saddam Rajrul Sardar, 33, and Azrul Ayjul Mandal, 36, all from North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. During interrogation, they revealed that the fish were loaded by Montu Mandala of Basirhat, West Bengal, and were intended for Ganesh Gaikwad in Pune.

The truck and the seized goods were taken to Ghargaon police station. Fisheries development officer Pratiksha Patkar and Dattatray Misal inspected the catch on November 3 and confirmed it was the prohibited Mangur species. Police seized 4,500 kg of fish worth ₹4.5 lakh and the truck, valued at ₹10 lakh, totalling ₹14.5 lakh. The fish were destroyed following legal procedure.

An FIR was registered under Sections 223, 275, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Investigation continues under the Ghargaon Police Station officials.