Oil tanker blast victim dies; two brothers arrested

Hyderabad: Two brothers were arrested by the Medipally police for causing blasts of two oil tankers, while indulging in ‘illegal theft of petrol’ at their workshop on Friday. They are accused of minting money during the past 10 years by stealing petrol and diesel in collusion with drivers transporting oil to petrol pumps.

Meanwhile, the blast victim, Venkat Naik, who was undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital, succumbed to the burns. He sustained serious burn injuries in the tanker blast in Chengicherla. An M-tech graduate and native of Kurnool district, he received 80 percent burns in the accident.

According to the police, the accused Raju Kulal, 37, and Jagadeep Kulal, 34, residents of Medipally in Medchal district and natives of Karnataka were involved in stealing of oil with the help of some of the oil tanker drivers. During the investigation, the police found that the compound where vehicles were made to halt (for the purpose of pilferage) was also used as workshop for welding by brothers. However, during afternoon hours on January 12, sparks from the welding workshop triggered the blast which not only gutted the entire workshop, but also injured 15 persons and gutted 5 two-wheelers in the close vicinity.

The impact was such that nearby house was damaged and caused grievous burnt injuries to some of the passersby. “The accused did not take any precautions and were running business in residential locality and endangered human lives,” said Rachakonda Joint Commissioner Tarun Joshi.

As per their modus operandi, drivers halted their vehicles at their workshop at Kamalanagar in Chengicherla for helping the brothers to indulge in pilferage. Elder brother Raju was already booked under related cases in 2015 and 2017 under Medipally and Ghatkesar police station limits. “During the last 10 years, the accused acquired many properties through the proceeds of their organised crime. They indulged in pilferage of petrol and diesel from tankers in collusion with drivers and owners. Later, they sold the same oil to the general public at a price much lower than the market price of petrol and diesel,” added the official.

The police seized 10 oil tankers, two cars, two two-wheelers and Rs 7.5 lakh from their possession. A case was registered under Sections 338, 406, 435, 379, 411 of IPC and relevant sections of Petroleum Act -1934 and of Public Property Damage Act. Their workers Khadeer, Sharfuddin and Nayeem and drivers of exploded lorries are at large.