Police bust illegal LPG racket; two held

Our Correspondent Mokokchung, Dec. 15 (EMN): The Special Operation Team (SOT) of Mokokchung police on December 14 intercepted an LPG laden truck and arrested two persons for siphoning of LPG from LPG cylinders that were meant to be sold to the public via gas agencies. The truck was bound to deliver its goods at Paramount Gas Agency-an LPG supplier in Zunheboto- when the police intercepted the vehicle at Ari junction between Alichen (Mokokchung) and VK Town (Zunheboto). According to the police report, during the normal routine checking the police found new cylinder ‘sealing caps and nipple’, probably used for siphoning LPG into empty cylinders, inside the truck cabin raising the suspicion of the police personnel. On further investigation they found empty LPG cylinders which were supposed to be fully-filled cylinders. When interrogated thoroughly the driver and handyman confessed that they have sold some cylinders mid-way and siphoned off the gas from more than 40 cylinders to fill up five empty cylinders. The duo also revealed that they have been running this racket for many months duping the gas agency and its customers. Mokokchung police have seized around 70 new cylinder sealing caps and other equipment allegedly used for the siphoning from their possession. A has been registered at Police Station II and further investigation is on.