Truck intercepted near Jharna drain; consignment allegedly bound for Bihar
Police in Agra on Tuesday seized 415 boxes of Punjab-manufactured liquor valued at about ₹45 lakh from a truck that was intercepted on the Agra–Firozabad road, officials said. Two men identified as the driver and cleaner were taken into custody and a case under relevant sections of the Excise Act was registered at Trans Yamuna police station, the city's police leadership said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Agra City) Syed Ali Abbas said the truck was stopped near the Jharna drain after information was received about the illegal transportation. The arrested men were named as Daluram — the truck driver — and Naniga Ram — the cleaner.
"The liquor appeared to have been sourced from Punjab at cheaper rates and was being transported to Bihar for higher margins," the DCP said.
Police said the consignment was allegedly concealed inside the vehicle to avoid detection. According to the account provided by officers, the operation involved persons outside Agra: the truck is owned by a man named Vijay, a resident of Bahadurgarh in Haryana, while a manager identified as Deepak is said to have coordinated the movement.
- Seized items: 415 boxes of Punjab-made liquor
- Estimated value: ₹45 lakh
- Arrests: Daluram (driver) and Naniga Ram (cleaner)
- Interception point: near Jharna drain, Agra–Firozabad road
- Police action: FIR registered at Trans Yamuna police station under the Excise Act
Police described how the logistics were allegedly organised: Deepak reportedly handed over the truck to the driver and cleaner in Saharanpur and maintained contact with them through a WhatsApp group. The driver was allegedly not given the final delivery location at the time and was to receive the destination later from Deepak, officers said.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Number of boxes | 415 |
| Estimated value | ₹45 lakh |
| Persons arrested | 2 (driver and cleaner) |
| Alleged owner | Vijay (Bahadurgarh, Haryana) |
| Coordinator named | Deepak |
Police also disclosed alleged payment details for the transport operation, saying the driver was to be paid ₹50,000 per trip and the cleaner ₹20,000 per trip to carry the consignment to Bihar, where sale of alcohol is prohibited. Officers said the alleged motive for the movement was price arbitrage — purchasing liquor in Punjab at lower rates and supplying it to a state observing prohibition for higher margins.
Local enforcement officials emphasised that the seizure underlines ongoing efforts to check cross‑border smuggling of excisable goods. A Trans Yamuna police station official confirmed that the case has been registered under sections applicable to illegal transport and possession of excisable liquor, and that further investigation is underway to trace the wider network and determine if more consignments were dispatched.
The seizure follows periodic interceptions by Uttar Pradesh police of consignments allegedly destined for prohibition states. Enforcement agencies say such operations involve coordination across districts and sometimes across state borders, complicating detection and prosecution.
Police have not disclosed whether any recoveries were made from addresses linked to the named supervisor or the vehicle owner, nor have they given details of any subsequent arrests beyond the two men detained at the scene. Investigating officers said they will pursue leads related to the alleged coordination from Saharanpur and the role of other persons named in the police briefing.
Residents and commuters on the Agra–Firozabad route reported increased police checks in the area after the interception, though officials described the action as intelligence‑led and targeted. The case remains with Trans Yamuna police station as enquiries continue.
