Allegation of Fuel Theft
9 Parbatipur railway staff suspended
Nine people including staff of Parbatipur Railway Locomotive Shed and policemen have been suspended on charge of negligence in duty as two high-powered probe bodies started investigation into allegations of widespread fuel theft from the railway store.
Abu Bakkar Siddique, fuel in charge of Parbatipur Locomotive Shed, Dev Dulal SSE (Fuel), Md Abdul Kafi, deputy loco master, Nazmul Islam and Arif Hossain, assistant loco master, were suspended on Saturday while SI Asaduzzaman and guard Md Tareque of the locomotive shed's security force, constables of Parbatipur GRP Shafiqul Islam and Shawkat Ali were suspended yesterday.
Law enforcers yesterday demolished the bamboo-made house, built and used allegedly for illegal storage and trade of fuel stolen from Parbatipur Railway Locomotive Shed near the GRP police station building, in presence of the investigation officials.
Authorities on Saturday formed the investigation teams headed by Dulal Kumar Roy, chief mechanical engineer of Rajshahi, and Rafiqul Islam, divisional mechanical engineer of Pakshi, following report of large-scale fuel theft from Parbatipur Railway Locomotive Shed and rail engines on different routes.
After their arrival in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur at around 11:00am yesterday, the team members visited different sites of Parbatipur Railway area including the Locomotive Shed, talked to many officials and staffs and checked documents of the railway station.
Meanwhile, the members of the two probe teams received several phone calls and text SMSs since Saturday night threatening them to face dire consequences for suspending some officials and staffs, the investigators said, showing the text SMSs sent from several cell phone numbers.
"Our first findings show involvement of different officials in fuel stealing. Stern action will be taken against those involved in the evil act," Dulal Kumar Roy told local journalists.
The probe teams will submit their reports within three days, said the team members.
GRP police on Saturday arrested Kusum, 24, of Kalibari Road, and Monir Hossain, 27, of Namapara area under Parbatipur municipality, on charge of stealing fuel from the locomotibe shed, said Md Emdadul Haque, officer in charge (OC) of Parbatipur GRP.
ASI Solaiman and ASI Babul of Parbatipur GRP were ordered to be closed to Saidpur GRP Police Lines on Saturday evening but the order was cancelled later, said a source of Parbatipur GRP.
The OC declined to make any comment over the 'mysterious' change in the decision.
Roughly 1,000 litres of diesel is stolen everyday from the engines of intercity trains plying different routes while a section of dishonest officials and staffs of Parbatipur railway office and some local miscreants are involved in the act, railway sources said.
Besides, dishonest officials and staffs of the locomotive shed used to sell around 1,100 litres diesel to outside markets, showing the fuel as used for miscellaneous purposes.
Recent months see more frequent incidents of fuel stealing as fuel prices have gone up, said sources of the department.
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