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GUWAHATI, AUGUST 11: A huge explosion in an illegal crude oil storage facility in Singhaduwar, Sivasagar, has uncovered a bulk crude oil smuggling syndicate. The explosion took place in a dumper where a clandestine chamber was being installed to hold crude oil.
Police arrived on the scene in good time to cordon off the area and initiate an inquiry into the circumstances of the explosion. Two suspects, Jelil Ali and Muzzakir, were seriously injured and taken to Dibrugarh hospital for emergency treatment.
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In the follow-up operation, law enforcers discovered a huge underground reservoir of oil under a half-finished RCC house close to the warehouse. The discovery has raised fears about the magnitude and level of sophistication of illegal crude oil activities in the area.
The police confirmed Jelil Ali to be a notorious cattle thief and a lead figure in criminal syndicates in the area. He had earlier been arrested in 2023 by Bokakhat police for being involved in illegal activities. The recent incident has again raised demands for a tightened crackdown on crude oil smuggling.
In an related incident earlier this year, Langkashi Police in Tinsukia district intercepted a Tata Yodha truck during a high-speed chase near Makum. The police took possession of 12 barrels of pilfered crude oil and arrested two persons — Pranab Gohain and Amarjyoti Neog of Barekuri. The vehicle was carrying the crude oil from Dhulijan near Makum, said Langkashi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Dhruba Jyoti Sarma.
The authorities have not yet released an official statement regarding the cause of the Singhaduwar blast. Investigations are still under way.
