32 tonnes of PDS rice seized, five held in Chittoor

The Chittoor district police on Friday (July 3, 2026) seized 32 tonnes of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice worth ₹6.3 lakh and arrested five individuals.

The police stated that, acting on reliable information, a special team intercepted an SUV, a lorry, and a luggage van during a vehicle inspection at Rompicherla Cross on the Tirupati-Piler highway. The police discovered 630 plastic bags containing ration rice.

The arrested were identified as Meruva Balaji, Nandipatla Srinivasulu, M. Satish, S.K. Mohammad, and Dasaradha Ramaiah. The police registered a case under the Essential Commodities Act and launched an investigation.

Superintendent of Police Tushar Dudi stated that the accused procured ration rice from beneficiaries in Srikalahasti and Nagari before transporting it to Bangarpet in Karnataka for sale at higher prices. The seized stock was handed over to Civil Supplies authorities.