Huge quantity of PDS rice seized

Officials from Food and Civil Supplies department and DCIB sleuths, during a joint raid, seized illegally stored rice, meant for the public distribution system, at Anna Thamma Kallu Road and Mepu in Kundapura.

Cases were booked against eight persons, according to sources.

DCIB inspector D R Manjappa, Kundapura Circle Inspector Gopikrishna and Food Inspector H S Suresh acting on a tip-off that rice was diverted illegally to Beary Brothers Hollow block shed on Anna Thamma Kallu Road raided the godown and noticed rice being stored in 50 kg polythene bags.

During the investigation, two men present in the godown said that they were purchasing rice distributed free of cost for poor under Anna Bhagya and selling at a higher rate.

Inside the shed, officials found 20,700 kg rice filled in 414 bags, 1,600 kg rice filled in 40 bags weighing 40 kg each, 3,000 kg rice filled in 60 bags weighing 50 kg each. Rice worth a total of Rs 3,79,500 was seized.

Police arrested Abdul Sathar and Abdul Ajeej. Officials also seized a truck, two cars, weighing machines, machines used to stitch bags, laptop, Rs 2,57,850 in cash and two mobile phones.

In another incident, police raided a house at Mepu and seized illegally stored 30,800 kg rice worth Rs 4,62,000. The police arrested Ismail Beary, Mustafa, Taufiq, Ubedulla, Mohammed and Niyaz Beary.

The police also seized a truck, 3 two-wheelers, machine to stitch bags, electronic weighing machines, Rs 16,940 in cash and seven mobile phones.

The raid was carried out under the guidance of Udupi Superintendent of Police Vishnuvardhan and Additional SP Kumarachandra.