Explosion nails scrap dealer who tried to siphon off oil in Dwarka

New Delhi: Around 9 pm on Tuesday, residents of Dwarka North heard a loud explosion in their area. With Republic Day less than 48 hours away, the vigilant residents immediately informed police. To their surprise, the police team found a deep tunnel inside a scrap dealer's shop.

During investigation, cops found that the explosion came from the tunnel, reaching into an Indian Oil pipeline, from where the 40-year-old scrap dealer Tanveer intended to extract oil to make easy money. He was taken into custody by cops and the area cordoned off and sealed.

The tunnel was around 2.5 feet wide – enough for a man to crawl deep inside – and 10 feet deep vertically. Cops are still puzzled how residents did not smell anything, as the digging went on for months.

"They transported mud taken out after digging into sacks on carts. Since Tanveer was a scrap dealer, no one found anything strange ," said DCP (Dwarka) Shibesh Singh on Wednesday.

The three accused carried out the dig in a systematic manner, looking to earn huge profits by selling the stolen oil from the pipeline. However, the explosion ruined their plans.

"Since they covered the pipeline with a lid and placed heavy material on it, when the pressure build inside and they resumed work, the pressure threw the lid with a loud noice throwing the lid to hit the roof." Singh said.

Police are now determine to find out how the accused managed to locate the pipeline, and whether the two absconding accused have any technical know how to steal oil from the Pipeline.

Tanveer has been booked under charges of theft and the Explosives Act.