Delhi: Blast reveals oil pilfering pipeline

A minor blast in the residential area of South-West Delhi’s Kakrola village on Tuesday night gave away months of long hard work done by a gang of fuel stealers. For three long months these fuel stealers had worked to attach a pipe and thus pilfer oil from a pipeline running from an Indian Oil Corporation-owned (IOC) pipeline running from Delhi to Panipat. The oil from this 150 feet long and 2.5 feet wide tunnel was then diverted to their factory.

It was around 9 pm on Tuesday when residents and locals ran out of their houses after they were told a blast had occurred in the area. The fire officials and police were informed who then reached the location. “A call was received around 9:30pm about a blast due to gas leakage. One fire tender was rushed to the spot. However the fire brigade was put on standy by till around 1:40am to avoid any untoward incident,” said a fire official.

The police arrested one of the accused, Zubair, from the location on Wednesday. Zubair told the police that he had rented two different properties in the area. “While he claimed to be a scrap dealer, he along with four others had dug a tunnel connecting their pipeline to that of the IOC’s,” said a senior police official. Zubair also told police that he had rented two different properties in the area.

Explaining the modus operandi, Shibesh Singh, DCP, Dwarka said, “In one property he kept scrap so that no one would raise suspicion and in the other property he along with his associates started digging the tunnel. The other accused managed to abscond while Zubair was stuck inside and was apprehended. They used gas cutters and connected their pipe to the main IOC pipeline; the other end of the pipeline opened at the rented property by them which was covered to avoid being noticed.”

Asked about the blast Singh added, “They were stealing from the oil pipeline by connecting another pipeline. Since the other end was covered the gas leaked created pressure which led to sound of a blast. We have taken one of them into custody and ares investigating.”

One of the residents Rajeev who came out of his home after hearing the news of a blast stated that five persons within the age group of 20-25 years were stealing oil after digging a tunnel. “There was panic as everyone rushed out of their houses. We all were told it was a blast due to gas leakage and even the terrace was blown to pieces, 

Meanwhile in a statement IOC stated: “Indian Oil Corporation has commenced today repair work of the pipeline on which miscreants attempted pilferage. In one of pipelines transporting petroleum products from Panipat to Delhi pilferage was found at Kakroli village near Dwarka in Delhi on the night of January 23, 2018. Efforts are under way to resume the pipeline operations at the earliest.

IndianOil is operating two petroleum product pipelines between Delhi and Panipat. Pressure drop due to pilferage was observed for last four days in one of these pipelines.  Intensive day and night patrolling of pipeline route was started and as a precautionary measure the police were informed in the suspected areas immediately. Help was also sought from special cell of Delhi Police (Outer District). On the night of January 23, 2018  team from Dwarka North Police Station had informed the pilferage near NSIT college which was done through an underground tunnel dug by the miscreants.