TIRUNELVELI: The revenue officials of Cheranmahadevi taluk and police seized five Kerala-bound trucks and arrested the drivers for allegedly carrying minerals (stones) without permits.
The accused have been identified as Shamil (32) of Valanchery, Asik (24) and Zakeer (31) of Malappuram, and Pradeep (39) and Shaji (40) of Kollam in Kerala. The inspection was carried out by a team led by Deputy Tahsildar Seetha Devi on the Cheranmahadevi-Kalakkad road.
According to sources, the inspection revealed that the drivers did not possess necessary permits for transporting minerals. Following this, they alerted the police and a team led by inspector Jinna Peer Mohammed rushed to the spot. They seized the trucks and 23 units of stones, and registered a case against the drivers.
Meanwhile, the Shengottai police inspected hundreds of mineral-laden trucks, plying towards Kerala, on overloading charges in Tenkasi on Wednesday. As the trucks were halted on the roadside for inspection, there was heavy traffic jam on the Tirumangalam-Kollam road.