The incident in which petrol, diesel and tar were stolen targeting tanker trucks on the highway has come as a shock.
Coimbatore: Madukkarai police have arrested two persons for stealing petrol, diesel and tar from tanker lorries on the Coimbatore-Madukkarai highway.
Police led by Madukkarai Assistant Inspector Kaviyarasu patrolled the Coimbatore Madukkarai Highway. When they came near Seerapalayam, they arrested a person who was standing with 5 iron barrel drums on suspicion.
Then he responded back and forth inconsistently. The person arrested during the subsequent interrogation was Gnanaprakasam (48), a resident of Raja Ganapathy nagar, Malumichampatti, Coimbatore. He said tanker lorries carrying petrol, diesel and tar on the highway were parked on the road in the early hours of the morning and sleeping. He used to steal petrol, diesel and tar from iron barrels and store it in a private garden in the Seerapalayam area.
Tar has also been sold to locals and contractors. It was also revealed that the stolen petrol and diesel were being sold to local people without any permission. Following this, the police went to the private estate godown in Seerapalayam and inspected it.
About 775 kg of tar was confiscated at that time, subsequently, a case was registered against Gnanaprakasam under 3 sections including sale of petroleum and he was arrested. Madukkarai police conducted a search in the Lakshmi Nagar Phase 2 area of Madukkarai based on a similar investigation.
Police then confiscated 775 kg of tar and vans and lorries used to steal it. Ponraj (38), a resident of Machambalayam, was arrested for stealing. The incident in which petrol, diesel and tar were stolen targeting tanker trucks on the highway has come as a shock.