A driver of one of the two oil tankers burned during Friday night’s incident at 7th Mile and the owner of the “godown” near Essar petrol pump, were arrested by Diphupar police Saturday in connection with the fire that broke out in a storage tank of the petrol pump. The raging inferno was doused after three hours by fire tenders at around 11 p.m. Friday.
According to a reliable police source, the driver was identified as one Joy Kishor Roy (29) son of Kabil Roy of Motihari Bihar and presently residing at Khatkati, Assam and the owner of the “godown”, identified as one Ashok Prasad (32), son of Basan Prasad of Baliya, Kailali district in Nepal and presently residing at 7th mile Model Village.
The police source disclosed that the two who were arrested, claimed that fire started after power lines above the godown snapped while oil was being filled into the tank.
However, both of them have not explained how the high tension power cables snapped. Police said 43 barrels of fuel (diesel) were burnt, two oil tankers with registration numbers NL 01 K 1644, NL 01 G 9444 and two unloaded tanks were gutted by the fire. Police found eight tanks out of which two were burnt, two empty and four filled with diesel.
Not ruling out an illegal fuel adulteration angle on the incident, the police source said fuel were not stored beneath the earth as was required for every petrol pumps.
Instead, police found that fuel were stored in barrels and tanks. Police said all the fuel burnt in the inferno was diesel.
Police were still investigating the case and efforts are on to arrest one of the absconding drivers.
Police also said that they have summoned all the employees of the “godown” and the petrol pump as well as Bendang and Shrikant, who were reported to be out of station, for interrogation.
Police also disclosed that permit of the “godown” was under the name of one Bendang Longkumer and the same was run by one Ashok. As reported, the Essar petrol pump was owned by one Shrikant.
However, police has so far not been able to ascertain whether the “godown” was owned by him or whether fuel for the petrol pump was stored in it.
Police said both the arrested persons have maintained that the petrol pump did not belong to Shrikant.
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