Biratnagar/Siraha, November 19

It has come to light that a fuel tanker en route to Biratnagar from Amlekhgunj, Bara, was hijacked and it disappeared mid-way last night.

The tanker ferrying 20 KL diesel parked at Lahan in Siraha was hijacked. It disappeared while it was heading towards Biratnagar. The tanker belongs to Lahan’s transporter Rajesh Kumar Gupta.

According to Gupta, the tanker was made to disappear while driver and his helper were sleeping after their meal at night. “The driver and his helper were put in the car and they were left in the jungle of Bardibah as the tanker was looted,” said Gupta.

A group of masked people had looted the tanker and the vehicle has not been found till today. “We have been searching for the tanker since yesterday, but to no avail,” Gupta added.

Tankers Entrepreneurs’ Union Chair Gunaraj Niraula said a tanker laden with fuel was made to disappeared for the first time in Nepal. “This type of incident has not happened in Nepal before,” said Niraula.

Siraha District Police Office Chief Uma Prasad Chaturbedi said search for the tanker was under way. “I cannot tell everything since investigation  into the incident is under way,” Chaturbedi said.

A source said the tanker was taken to India and the fuel was sold in the Indian market as fuel price was higher in India than in Nepal.

The source also claimed that the incident was kept secret as it became known when the tanker was returning to Nepal after the fuel was sold in India via the Badiyarpatti border point in Siraha.

Tanker entrepreneurs, however, claimed the tanker had not entered India and was inside the country.

Nepal Oil Corporation has formed a probe committee to investigate the incident. The committee has four members led by NOC Biratnagar Depot Chief Ashok Sah. The committee has been given one week’s time to complete the investigation.