Ahmedabad Rural LCB busts highway chemical theft racket, arrests two, goods worth ₹34.40 lakh seized

The Ahmedabad Rural Local Crime Branch (LCB) has busted an alleged highway chemical theft racket and arrested two persons accused of stealing highly flammable industrial chemicals from tankers transporting cargo on highways. Police seized stolen Mixed Xylene, a tanker and other articles collectively valued at more than ₹34.40 lakh.

The arrests were made during a special drive launched by Ahmedabad Rural Police to curb highway thefts and cargo-related crimes across the district.

Based on technical surveillance, human intelligence and information from confidential sources, the Ahmedabad Rural LCB learnt that a tanker carrying 20.750 metric tonnes of Mixed Xylene from Parshwanath Lifescience at Kesar Kadla to Anupam Rasayan India Limited in Surat had allegedly been tampered with during transit.

According to police, the accused allegedly broke the seal of the tanker and siphoned off around 60.5 litres of Mixed Xylene for personal gain instead of delivering the consignment intact. Investigators said the act amounted to cheating the transporter as well as the consignor company.

The arrested accused have been identified as Ahmedbhai Akbarbhai Ganibhai Timblia, a resident of Ralol village in Surendranagar district, and Jay alias Jayraj Bhupatbhai Jagmalbhai Rathod, a resident of Chuda village in Surendranagar district.

During the operation, police seized 60.5 litres of Mixed Xylene stored in four containers, two empty containers, four blue plastic barrels with a combined capacity of 800 litres, equipment allegedly used to siphon the chemical, the tanker carrying the remaining 20.750 metric tonnes of Mixed Xylene and a mobile phone.

The total value of the seized property, including the tanker and industrial chemical, has been estimated at ₹34.40 lakh.

A case has been registered at Bagodara Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Further investigation is underway to determine whether more persons were involved in the alleged highway chemical theft racket and whether the accused were linked to similar offences in the past.