DIBRUGARH: Tinsukia Police on Friday busted a gang involved in the theft of crude oil from Oil India Limited (OIL) tankers. Nine persons have been arrested by the police.
Led by additional superintendent of police (ASP) Ripunjay Kakoti, an oil tanker with a capacity of 30,000-kilolitre and bearing the registration number HR-61 D-9677 was seized during the operation.
Tinsukia superintendent of police Debojit Deuri said, “We have apprehended nine people in connection with the racket. All of them are security personnels at the oil collection centres. Prima facie it seems there is a big nexus between some locals and oil security personnel. The gang is involved in stealing crude oil from OIL collecting centres. Thieves usually steals crude oil from underground pipelines. However, this gang stole crude oil directly from the collecting centre situated at Lankachi (Tinsukia).”
Sources said that several oil pilferer gangs have been thriving in upper Assam for over a decade, which targets oil tankers carrying fuels. Every day hundreds of oil tankers loaded with petrol and diesel from the IOC oil refinery in Digboi and Oil India Limited refinery in Duliajan leaves for various destinations across the northeast. The tankers usually stop at roadside eateries located along the Moran-Sepon stretch on NH-37 between Dibrugarh and Sivasagar districts. According to sources, the gang, in connivance with some drivers and helpers, steal a certain amount of petrol or diesel from tankers and replace them with cheap solvent or kerosene.
