Now Reading: Eight arrested over 20-tonne crude oil theft in Rajasthan
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Eight arrested over 20-tonne crude oil theft in Rajasthan
Eight men were arrested after allegedly stealing 20 tonnes of crude oil from an HPCL pipeline in Rajasthan’s Balotra district, the Gujarat Anti Terrorism Squad said, according to PTI. The arrests followed…
The Story in Brief
Eight men were arrested after allegedly stealing 20 tonnes of crude oil from an HPCL pipeline in Rajasthan’s Balotra district, the Gujarat Anti Terrorism Squad said, according to PTI. The arrests followed a tip-off about suspects trying to sell crude on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot highway. A man was first detained near Sokhda village in Rajkot, leading investigators to seven others in Tapra village, Rajasthan.
Investigators allege the group dug a three-foot pit, punctured the underground high-pressure pipeline and fitted a valve near Kaludi village. They allegedly transported the oil in two vehicles and tried to sell it to a Beawar resident. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and pipeline protection laws. The ATS is checking whether more people were involved.
The Indian Opinion
Calling this a cinematic masterstroke is as lazy as dismissing it as routine petty theft. The alleged use of a pipeline map, a fitted valve and two vehicles points to planning, while the reported sale attempt suggests a ready market. The immediate test is whether investigators identify buyers and establish how the group found the pipeline route. That will show whether this was an isolated crime or a wider leak in infrastructure security.
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com, livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
