The Guwahati-Barauni oil pipeline, operated by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), was allegedly damaged by a few unidentified miscreants who cut it open near Bakiya village in Bihar’s Khagaria district, police said.
Police said the incident which took place on Tuesday morning has led to a mess in the area, with thousands of litres of crude oil spilled on streets and fields.
Knowing of the incident, Chautham police rushed to the site to find hundreds of people gathered to pilfer the oil. IOC officials also reached the site.
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Abhay Kumar Tiwari, station house officer (SHO), Chautam police station said, “IOC officials are camping at the site while they wait for a team of the pipeline maintenance department coming from West Bengal to repair the damage.”
The SHO, who did not rule out the possibility of sabotage, said “Only IOC engineers and maintenance team can tell how it happened.”
The IOC officials present at the site said it will take several hours to repair the damage.
A few years ago, police arrested a hotel owner and his associate near Naugachhia in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district and recovered thousands of litres of stolen oil.
In another incident, the oil pipeline was cut open at Barsoni in the Purnia district, causing the loss of thousands of litres of crude oil.
