ATS and Rajasthan Police Uncover Illegal Valve Installation on HPLC Line

During a coordinated raid on August 9, the Anti‑Terrorist Squad from Gujarat and the Rajasthan police discovered an unauthorized valve attached to the HPLC pipeline near Kaludi village in Balotra district. The valve, hidden in a pit about three meters deep, was used to divert crude oil into two tankers, each capable of holding ten tonnes. Interrogations revealed that the eight arrested suspects had been monitoring the pipeline for six months before executing the heist. The gang later stored the stolen oil at a dhaba on the road to Tapra, where it was sold to a buyer from Bayawar. The investigation, initiated after a security complaint by HPLC supervisor Shravan Kumar Jat, also highlighted that the culprits had previously scouted the pipeline route for several months. All eight individuals have been taken to Jasol Police Station for further questioning.