Paddy being smuggled into Punjab intercepted in Patiala, 2 trucks seized

Two trucks laden with illegally transported paddy from Uttar Pradesh were seized in Patiala district, as authorities intensified their drive to check unauthorized inflow of paddy from other states during the ongoing procurement season.

This action comes amid heightened vigilance at interstate points, as the Punjab government has set up seven checkposts across Patiala district to stem illegal transportation of paddy into the state, officials confirmed.

According to district food supply officials, two cases were registered following the seizure of the trucks — one each at Khedi Gandian police station and Shambu police station. In the first incident, the Patiala police confiscated a truck loaded with approximately 850 bags of paddy on the Patiala-Rajpura road under the Khedi Gandian police jurisdiction. The truck, reportedly coming from UP, was intercepted after the driver failed to produce valid documentation for the consignment, leading to his arrest. A second case was similarly registered at Shambu police station, in which more than 600 paddy loaded bags were confiscated and driver arrested. Both trucks were stopped as part of stepped-up checks.

Shambu police claimed that food and supply officials were yet to complete their counting and document verification process of the paddy laden confiscated truck.

To curb such illegal practices, seven interstate barriers have been established in Patiala district, which shares border with neighbouring state Haryana. These barriers are manned by around 47 staff members of food and supply department, including flying squads comprising Assistant Food Supply Officer (AFSO), inspector, and support personnel. These squads are actively monitoring routes in Rajpura, Ghanaur, and Patiala, and other areas, officials including Varinder Singh (AFSO) and District Food Supply Officer Ravinder Kaur stated.

“Two trucks have been confiscated so far in Patiala by flying squad teams as part of efforts to check illegal inflow of paddy into Punjab,” Ravinder Kaur said, adding that investigations are ongoing.

AFSO Varinder revealed that no documents have been provided so far by any legal trader where these 850 bags of paddy worth Rs 8 lakh were being transported.

Punjab has been facing persistent challenges during the paddy procurement season, with concerns over legal farmers’ interests and state procurement targets being undermined by the inflow of paddy purchased in other states at lower prices. The Punjab government has repeatedly issued instructions to its enforcement agencies to maintain strict checks at border points and deploy extra manpower during procurement season. “The illegal inflow of paddy not only distorts procurement operations but also causes revenue loss to the state exchequer,” said an official.

This article has been republished from The Tribune.