Four arrested for smuggling 208 quintals of PDS rice in Telangana’s Asifabad

Value of the grains was assessed to be Rs 7.48 lakh

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Four persons were arrested for allegedly smuggling rice grains meant for public distribution system (PDS) at an inter-state check-post at Hudkili village in Sirpur (T) mandal on Monday. Police seized 208 quintals of PDS rice and three vans from them. The value of the grains was assessed to be Rs 7.48 lakh.

Briefing details of the arrests, Superintendent of Police DV Srinivas Rao said that Isaq Ahmed, Mohammad Kaleem, drivers, and Syed Arif and Mohammad Raziq all from Kagaznagar were apprehended while smuggling the rice, following a tip-off.

---

On being interrogated, Isaq and Kaleem confessed to committing the crime as per instructions of one Mohammad Raziq, a trader belonging to Kagaznagar. Arif, a driver-cum trader, admitted to indulging in the offence to make a fast buck. The four disclosed that the grains were being sent to Uppera Santhosh from Rajura in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra.

They revealed that they were procuring the rice from Rakesh and Ashok of Janakapur village in Bheemini mandal of Mancherial district.

Srinivas Rao commended Sirpur (T) Sub-Inspector Kamalakar, constables Shashikanth, Sharath, Suresh and Pavan for apprehending the drivers and traders.