39 quintals PDS rice seized; one arrested

The vigilance officials and the police seized 39 quintals of rice meant to be distributed under the Public Distribution System at Z Ragampet village in Gandepalli mandal on Sunday.
MSO Krishna told the media that on a tip-off, the vigilance conducted checking of vehicles. They found 39 quintals of PDS rice were being transported in a lorry illegally. The police seized the rice and the vehicle worth Rs 11 lakh.
The officials said that the rice was purchased from a rice mill located at Geneda village in Kirlampudi mandal being transported to Rajanagaram.
Meanwhile, in a similar raid by the vigilance officials in NTR district, 600 bags of PDS rice were seized by the officials in Sri Lakshmi rice mill at Paritala village in Kanchakarla madal.
A vigilance and police team led by SI Bonagiri Raju conducted a raid on the rice mill. The mill management purchased the rice from the ration card holders and stocked it in the rice mill to be exported to other countries. The police held one person in this connection. The ration rice is recycled and blended in Samba Masuri varieties of rice and sold at higher price, the police said.