Naxalbari, January 23 (Siliguri Chronicle) – In a routine night patrol, Naxalbari police seized a pickup van loaded with apples and arrested two persons on Thursday night.
Police said the vehicle was stopped at Panighata More in the Naxalbari area. During checking, the occupants failed to produce valid documents for the consignment, following which the van was seized.
A total of 70 cartons of apples were recovered from the vehicle. The arrested persons have been identified as Shailendra Gond and Hemchandra Ram, both residents of Uttar Pradesh.
According to police sources, the apples were being transported from Itahari in Nepal to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh via the Pashupati route through Mirik.
The two accused were produced before the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court on Friday. Police said further investigation is underway to verify the legality of the consignment and to determine whether others are involved.
