Three held in Assam for siphoning off foodgrains meant for poor

Hailakandi, April 17 (PTI): Three persons have been arrested in connection with siphoning off rice and flour wheat meant for the poor in Hailakandi district of South Assam, police said.

District Superintendent of Policel Pabindra Kumar Nath said a huge quantity of rice and wheat were recovered from Berakhalerpar LP School in Algapur circle on Wednesday.

“Forty-five bags of rice and five bags of wheat flour — each bag containing 50 kg of grains, weighing around 2,500 kg — have been recovered from the school that was used as a godown,” Nath said.

Search is underway for the absconding fair price shop dealer, who also happens to be an Anchalik Panchayat member and president of the management committee of the school in which the foodgrains were kept, police said.

One person was arrested in this connection on Wednesday, while the two others were held a few days ago, a police officer said.

Further investigation is on.