Paradip: The police have arrested three persons for allegedly drilling holes and stealing oil from an Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) pipeline connecting Atharbanki and the Nehru Bangala area of Paradip (Essar beltline).
Reports said a special team of the Paradip Marine police station arrested Rabindra Kumar Verma and Prasanna Mandal of Ramnagar village in Kendrapara district and Kunjabihari Dalei of Nuagaon in Jagatsinghpur district for pilfering the oil.
Another person named Saroj Mallik from Madhuban area is absconding.
After receiving reliable inputs about the movement of the culprits in the locality, a special team of the Paradip Marine police station rushed to the spot and arrested the trio.
The police seized a boat, a pipe and a huge quantity of diesel from the arrested men.
Four persons including Saroj Mallik were stealing oil after drilling holes in the pipeline.
The matter came out after locals noticed diesel leaking into a nearby river and informed the police February 24.
The miscreants had drilled a hole in the pipeline and that led to spillage of diesel into the river. The oil leakage has started to pollute the water body posing a threat to aquatic life.
The IOCL pipeline transports oil from the Paradip port to various terminals.
PNN