Bantwal : Rural police have booked one person on the charge of pilferage of petroleum products being pumped through Petroleum MHB Ltd.’s pipeline from Mangaluru to Bengaluru in Karnataka.

Upon witnessing loss of pressure during pumping of petroleum products through the pipeline on July 11, officials of PMHB undertook a survey and zeroed in on a location in Arala village of Bantwal taluk.

Upon digging the earth at the spot, they found tampering of the pipeline and arrangements to siphon off petroleum products. While the damage to the pipeline was estimated to be around ₹90,000, exact value of pilfered products was yet to be ascertained, PMHB official G. Rajan told the police in his complaint on July 27.

Since the land belongs to a man named Ivan, police have registered cases against him under provisions of Petroleum and Minerals Pipeline Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Police are on the lookout for the accused.