PDS rice seized during sand smuggling drive

Sources said that a team of officials from revenue and mines departments intercepted a van on suspicion near Vanichatram. When the team checked, nearly 200 bags of PDS rice were found in the van. 

The TN government seal on the sacks indicated that it was lifted from a civil supplies godown. The load was reportedly being smuggled to Andhra Pradesh. However, the van driver took to his heels soon after stopping the vehicle. The van and the rice were seized by officials, who suspect a nexus between the smugglers and civil supplies department officials.

It may be recalled that Dhanasekar (26) of V Kotta in Andhra, a known PDS rice smuggler who faced several police cases in Vellore district, was detained on Monday under the Goondas Act.