Khamtarai Police seized five trucks loaded with Manganese from a private yard located in Bhanpuri area of the city. The market value of seized ore is about Rs70 lakh. The raid was conducted following a tip-off that trucks loaded with manganese were parked in a private yard behind Banjari temple in Bhanpuri area and some persons were trying to sell the ore, SHO, Khamtarai, Hemprakash Nayak said.
Six persons have been arrested, the SHO said. The team lead by City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Neeraj Chandrakar had conducted the raid. It is being suspected that the ore that was destined to reach some other place which was being dumped in the yard for illegal sale, he said. The trucks had started from Chandrapur and were destined to reach Rourkela in Odisha; however, on the way, the truck drivers were found trading the ore at Khamtarai, the SHO maintained.