7 trucks filled with 4,500 sacks of subsidised fertilisers seized by Cachar SP; Involvement of certain Police officials under scrutiny

Since Dr Ramandeep Kaur took over as the Superintendent of Police, Cachar, trucks carrying subsidised fertilisers are finding it difficult to use Silchar as a safe gateway to smuggle items to Mizoram. These trucks load fertilisers from Nagaon, Barpeta and reach Silchar through Haflong. In Silchar, the trucks unload at the Ramnagar area and local handlers reload them to different trucks which head towards Mizoram crossing the Lailapur Motor Vehicle Check Gate.

Cachar SP, Dr. Ramandeep Kaur initiated an investigation last night and at around 9:00 pm, seven trucks were stopped. Approximately 4,500 sacks of subsidised urea, each weighing 45 kilograms have been seized. None of the trucks could furnish proper challan.

Cachar Police arrested five drivers, Shyam Lal, Sish Pal Yadav, Ganesh Ram, Yogen Kishore of Rajasthan and Joynal Haque of Hojai. All the trucks are stationed at Dholai Police Station.

Speaking about the operation, SP Kaur said, “We have already arrested a nexus that was smuggling urea to Mizoram. Through this nexus, we got the information that urea is being transported illegally to Mizoram. Based on the information, we launched an operation and seven trucks were detained. We are in the process of preparing the seizure list so, it is too early to comment on the exact amount of subsidised urea present in those seven trucks.”

SP Dr. Kaur added, “These are subsidised urea that the miscreants transport to Mizoram and earn a lot of money. This deprives the local farmers and that is why we have been running this extensive operation against illegal transportation of subsidised fertilisers.”

On January 28, one truck with 666 sacks of subsidised fertilisers was seized at Lailapur MV by the enforcement inspector. When asked for the Challan, the driver furnished a Challan to transport sacks of Cement. According to Police sources, the driver loaded the truck near Ramnagar area.

Sources in the fertilisers industry have informed that keeping the SP in dark, one senior Police officer in Cachar Police takes control of the illegal transportation of fertilisers. If sources are to be believed, the senior police officer charges Rs 85,000 per truck and manages the rest of the Police formation. In Borkhola, the trucker first pays some cash and then to other patrolling parties. But the senior police officer is managed first. A source informed that Rs 85,000 is transferred to the senior officer online. Another source informed that a Samsung mobile phone worth Rs, 1.5 lakh has been gifted to the senior officer by one of the mafias in the fertiliser smuggling nexus. The senior officer only receives calls on WhatsApp.

When asked about the involvement of the Police in the diversion of the subsidised fertilisers, SP Cachar, Dr. Ramandeep Kaur said “We have just seized the items and we are taking the investigation further. In case we find involvement of Police officials in this, I assure, appropriate actions will be taken against them too.”