UP-based gang caught stealing fuel along Palakkad–Thrissur highway

Palakkad: A five-member gang involved in large-scale interstate fuel theft was arrested at the Palakkad–Thrissur border on Saturday. The group allegedly used high-tech equipment to siphon fuel from vehicles parked along the national highway.

Acting on a tip-off, police tracked the suspects, who attempted to flee after ramming their vehicle into a police jeep. In a dramatic chase, the police managed to catch the gang members after they abandoned their truck and tried to escape on foot.

Police have intensified surveillance on the Palakkad-Thrissur National Highway after receiving complaints about frequent fuel thefts from parked vehicles for more than a week. Acting on secret intelligence, the Wadakkanchery police tailed a UP-registered vehicle suspected to be linked to the thefts. When the police attempted to stop the vehicle at Panniyankara, the gang rammed into the jeep and sped off, even breaking through a tollbooth barricade.

After crossing Neelipara and reaching Vaniyampara, the gang abandoned their vehicle and tried to blend in with the public by walking along the road. However, the police managed to nab them soon after.

"Five men, all hailing from other states, are now in police custody. The gang reportedly used specially fitted motors and pipes to siphon fuel within seconds from parked vehicles, " said police.

Police have launched an investigation to trace where the stolen fuel was being sold and to uncover the full extent of the racket.