Hyderabad, Telangana: The Cyberabad Special Operations Team (SOT) apprehended four individuals on Thursday for illegally transporting and smuggling Public Distribution System (PDS) rice across Hyderabad. A total of 53 tonnes of rice, valued at approximately Rs 10.6 lakh, was confiscated in the operation.
The crackdown unfolded across three separate locations within the city. In the first incident, authorities intercepted a truck carrying a staggering 35 tonnes of PDS rice near Shadnagar. One suspect, identified as Pradeep, was arrested at the scene.
The second incident involved the seizure of approximately 1 tonne of PDS rice from Rama Koti in the Pedda Golconda area of Shamshabad. Upon questioning, Koti admitted to purchasing rice from nearby villages and supplying it to rice mills in Maheshwaram.
The third incident, in Rajendranagar’s Kismatpur area, resulted in the seizure of 17 tonnes of PDS rice. The suspect, whose name was not disclosed, confessed to illegally acquiring the rice from locals in various areas before smuggling it to Nagpur for a higher profit.
The Cyberabad SOT’s swift action highlights the ongoing struggle to combat PDS rice diversion, a serious issue that deprives impoverished communities of their subsidized food rations. The investigation into these cases is ongoing, and further arrests are not ruled out.
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