The Shankaranarayana police arrested a tanker driver, Jayaram, for allegedly stealing diesel from his own vehicle at a service station in Siddapura village, Kundapur Taluk.
The operation began after PSI Naseer Hussain alerted DSP H.D. Kulkarni around 8 p.m. about suspicious activity near Subbarao Complex. Upon reaching the spot, the police found Jayaram siphoning fuel from the tanker using a pipe and jack.
During interrogation, Jayaram admitted to stealing 20 litres of diesel from each tanker and supplying it to an accomplice named Vijay, who is currently absconding.
Police seized:
1,020 litres of diesel
30 litres of petrol
3 pipes
1 diesel extraction lift motor
Multiple fuel-filled cans
The accused is believed to be part of a larger organised fuel theft racket targeting tankers en route to Chitradurga, Bellari, and other locations.
A case has been filed under:
Sections 303(2), 112 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
Sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955
Section 23 of the Petroleum Act
Investigations are ongoing to trace the remaining suspects and determine the full scale of the operation.
