Chikkamagaluru police have apprehended two individuals in connection with the theft of petrol from an underground Petronet pipeline near Hiresigara in Mudigere taluk.
The accused, identified as Vijay Kumar (62) and Harsha (34), are alleged to have siphoned off 2,000 litres of petrol, valued at over ₹2 lakh. The targeted pipeline runs from Mangaluru to Bengaluru and was tampered with at a point near Hiresigara.
The theft came to light when Petronet officials detected a sudden drop in petrol pressure on Tuesday, June 24, and immediately lodged a complaint at the Gonibeedu police station.
Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police Vikram Amathe commended the swift response by officers of the Mudigere Circle and Gonibeedu station, which led to the timely arrest of the culprits.
As part of the crackdown, police have seized eight vehicles allegedly used by the suspects in the operation. Authorities believe a larger network may be involved and efforts are ongoing to trace other individuals connected to the crime.
The incident has raised concerns about pipeline security and the sophistication of fuel theft operations.