Around 1,000 bags of aluminium powder were seized from near Sikarpali railway station on Friday. Rayagada SP Rajesh Pandit said police had found some persons roaming suspiciously near the railway station. During verification, it was found that they had stored the aluminium powder in 1000 bags that were hidden inside a culvert in the nearby bushes.
Police said on August 19, a goods train with 77 wagons carrying aluminium powder from Nalco at Damanjodi had reached Sikarpali railway station. The miscreants removed the powder from the wagons and packed them in gunny bags before concealing them in the culvert.
Fifteen people were arrested for stealing aluminium powder from bogie of a goods train at Lada railway station last week. A truck, an auto-rickshaw and two mini-trucks engaged in transporting the stolen item were seized from the spot.
Police said the consignment was being transported from Nalco at Damanjodi to Visakhapatnam port. The train had halted at Lada railway station, about seven km from Rayagada.