DHARMAPURI: Lorry drivers urged the Karimangalam police to take steps to stop fuel theft which has been increasingly reported in the areas around Karimangalam.
Karimangalam lies along the NH 44 connecting Salem-Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. As many as 10,000 heavy vehicles pass through the area everyday. Most lorry drivers park their vehicles in the rest stops and service roads along the N44 to take a break. However, multiple incidents of diesel theft have been reported recently.
Speaking to TNIE, B Sureshkumar, a lorry driver from Dharmapuri said, "It is a big menace as drivers cannot even rest a few hours during the journey. They open our fuel caps, use a tube and siphon the diesel from the tanks. If we are unaware, we would be left stranded by the road side.
In most cases, the driver would have to pay for the fuel. We urge the police to take steps to monitor the situation and take action against such crimes."
Another lorry driver, S Kalidas from Dharmapuri said,"
The police must intervene and take steps to increase highway patrol in the area. Further, they should identify where the stolen diesel is sold and arrest the people involved in the trade. It is not only fuel that is robbed, sometimes, commodities are also stolen."
When TNIE reached out to police in Karimangalam they said, "We have been increasingly monitoring the area and have taken action against dozens of people involved in diesel theft. We urge people to report such crimes, so we can take necessary action."