Patiala Police Seize 330 Gattus of China Dor, Shop Owner Arrested

Patiala (The Uttam Hindu): In a major bust, the Regional Office (RO) Patiala, in collaboration with local police, seized over 330 gattus (rolls) of China Dor from a shop in Deep Nagar, Patiala. The operation, initiated after a tip-off from a reporter, led to the arrest of Sonu Kumar, the owner of M/s Sonu Kites, who was found to be selling the banned and dangerous material.

The investigation began earlier in the day when the reporter alerted the team about the illegal sale of China Dor in Anand Nagar. Although no evidence was found there, the reporter later informed the team about a kite shop in Deep Nagar, M/s Sonu Kites. The RO Patiala team, along with the reporter, visited the shop and confiscated three gattus of China Dor. Further information from the reporter led the team to a 17-year-old boy in Deep Nagar, who was also involved in selling China Dor. Upon searching the boy's residence, 12 more gattus of the dangerous material were seized. The boy revealed that he had purchased the gattus from Sonu Kites and also informed the team about additional stock stored at the shop owner's house.

Acting on this lead, the team visited Sonu Kumar’s house in Deep Nagar, but found the gate locked. They then sought assistance from the SHO Tripuri. At approximately 9 PM, a joint team consisting of the Environmental Engineer from the Regional Office, along with the local police, conducted a search of Sonu Kumar's house. During the search, around 330 gattus, totaling approximately 1 ton of China Dor, were recovered. Sonu Kumar was arrested, and investigations are now underway to trace the source of the China Dor and identify other individuals involved in its distribution.

The Chairman and Member Secretary of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) have urged the public to report any such illegal activities to aid in swift action. They emphasized the importance of community cooperation in stopping the trade and use of harmful China Dor, which poses significant dangers to public health and safety.