Mangaluru man booked for pilfering fuel from HPCL pipeline

Mangaluru, 31 July 2021 [Fik/News Sources]:  Bantwal Rural police have registered a case against a person for allegedly pilfering petroleum products from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited's s pipeline. 

Dakshina Kannada SP Rishikesh Sonawane said that HPCL's official carried out a survey of the pipeline after noticing differences in the flow in the Mangaluru-Hassan pipeline on July 11. Initially, the officials thought that it may be due to some damage in the pipeline coating. The survey found out that the leakage was taking place at Arala village in a private land belonging to one Ivan. When they dug up the land in that place, they found a one and half inch diameter pipeline and a valve being used to draw the petrol from the pipeline.

The damages caused to the pipeline costs Rs 90,000 and the worth of fuel pilfered is being assessed. Ivan has been booked under Petroleum and Minerals Pipeline Act 1962 and other sections.