Karnataka - Shimoga   

Police bust `oil racket', seize petroleum products

By Our Special Correspondent

SHIMOGA, FEB. 28. The police claim to have busted an oil racket with the seizure of 70,000 litres of petroleum products, including kerosene, petrol and diesel, on Friday evening. The petroleum products were allegedly stored illegally in a private godown at a village near Holehonnur in the Bhadravati Rural Police Station limits.

The police said the godown belonged to Bangarappa of Hosnagar, who was absconding.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, the Superintendent of Police, H.N. Siddanna, said it was a chance visit by a police team to Kallihal in Holehonnur, about 20 km. from here, to investigate a fire accident that led to the seizure of the petroleum products.

Giving details of the incident, he said fire engulfed a house belonging to Sayeed Noor, in which a 13-year-old girl, Heena Parveen, was killed and two others suffered burns. Investigations revealed that the fire accident was caused when the petroleum products stored "illegally" in the house caught fire, he added.

Mr. Siddanna said that when the team arrived at the village to investigate the incident, local people told it that petrol, diesel, and kerosene had been "illegally" stored in a house belonging to Ahmed Sherief in the adjacent Yedehalli village. Acting on the tip-off, the team raided the house, which led to the seizure of 3,000 litres of adulterated petrol, kerosene, and diesel, he added.

He said another police team subsequently raided the private godown, which led to the seizure of 316 barrels, each containing 200 litres of kerosene, meant to be distributed under the public distribution system. Also, four drums, each containing 1,000 litres of kerosene, and a matador van with 24 cans, each containing 35 litres of petrol, and 29 cans, each containing 35 litres petrol, had been seized, he added.

Mr. Siddanna said the total value of the seizure had been estimated at Rs. 16 lakh.

He said the Police Sub-Inspector, Madappa, attached to the Holehonnur Police Station, had been placed under suspension "as he failed to act even though he had credible information about the oil racket in his jurisdiction", he said.

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