A CORRESPONDENT
NAZIRA: An abandoned ONGC oil well located at the Bamunpukhuri Tea Estate under Nazira Co-District caught fire on Thursday afternoon, raising fresh concerns over the active oil theft racket operating in Upper Assam.
According to sources, miscreants have been targeting abandoned oil wells left by ONGC in tea garden areas to siphon crude oil illegally. Taking advantage of the absence of security personnel at several such sites, the notorious oil theft network has reportedly intensified its activities in the region.
The fire reportedly broke out at the old ONGC oil well due to the involvement of miscreants. Local residents believe that the lack of adequate security at the site contributed to the incident. The area narrowly escaped a major catastrophe similar to the Baghjan blowout, as densely populated residential zones lie close to the affected site.
Personnel from the Nazira Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the scene and managed to bring the blaze under control in Sectors 15 and 16 after sustained firefighting efforts. Large residential settlements of tea garden workers are located a short distance from the incident site, raising serious safety concerns.
The exact motive behind the incident-whether oil theft or another criminal act-remains unclear. Authorities have stated that the cause will be confirmed only after a detailed police investigation. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
Local residents suspect that miscreants are illegally extracting and transporting crude oil from abandoned and concealed ONGC wells, particularly in tea garden areas.
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