The state Food and Civil Supplies department has seized nearly 500 quintals of grains — meant for distribution in the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Gorakhpur district — from unauthorised private vehicles.

The grains were seized on Wednesday and Thursday, after the district food and civil supplies office conducted raids to check black-marketing of grains meant for PDS. The district administration has lodged FIR against three persons who were caught red-handed along with the grains.

District Supply Officer (DSO) Kamal Nayan Singh said: “Since the last one month, we have been receiving reports that there are several areas where foodgrain sent to the district supply unit for distribution were not being sent to PDS shops. Instead, they were being smuggled to be sold in black markets.”

On the basis of the information and the directions of the district magistrate and the Food and Civil Supplies department, raids had begun since Tuesday, he added.

On Wednesday, a combined team of the district police and the district supply officials conducted raids in several areas. The team seized 138.50 quintals of grain — including 115 quintals of wheat and 28.50 quintals of rice — marked to be supplied to PDS shops. The supply was being loaded in a private truck in the Harpur Bazar area.

“All the sacks had the mark saying these grains were to be supplied to PDS shops. But the vehicle was a private one. We caught one person on the spot and he did not have proper documents. On probing, we found that the supply was being taken to some other shops for black-marketing. We immediately got an FIR lodged against him,” said Singh.

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