28 tonnes of PDS rice, shipped from Telangana to Maharashtra seized in Mancherial

The Civil Supplies Department's task force seized 28 tonnes of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice in Mancherial while it was allegedly being transported to Maharashtra. Officials have launched an investigation into the suspected diversion racket involving fair price shop dealers and others.

Mancherial: Task force sleuths of the civil supplies department seized 28 tonnes of rice meant for the public distribution system here on Friday night.

The rice being shipped from Karimnagar to Maharashtra in a lorry were seized during inspections in Naspur, following a tip-off. The seized rice and the vehicle have been handed over to the department for further action.

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The sleuths launched a probe to trace kingpins behind the smuggling racket and the role of fair price shop dealers and officials from the department. They suspected that rice procured directly from dealers with the help of beneficiaries of the food security scheme, was being diverted to Maharashtra where demand for rice was high.