Assam: Three along with dumper owner arrested for causing Oil India's Duliajan well leak

A day after successfully regaining control over well no NHK-67 at Gazal Basti near Duliajan, the police have now arrested three persons including a dumper owner for causing the fatal gas leak at the Duliajan oil well, since October 19. 

The arrested persons had allegedly vandalised the well by cutting off X-mas trees placed near the oil well leading to the spilage. 

The arrested persons have been identified as Mithu Nayak, Sanjeev Munda and Sanjit Munda. Additionally, a dumper owner identified as Saiful Ali has been also arrested. 

A search operation was led by Bhaskar Saikia, officer-in-charge of Duliajan police station on the night of October 22, following which they nabbed the accused.

The incident of vandalism, which occurred late in the evening on October 19, had raised environmental and safety concerns, prompting OIL to take immediate action. As previously reported, miscreants dismantled the Christmas tree assembly above the adapter of well no. NHK-67, which had been in a shut-in condition since 2016. This particular well was situated within a depleted reservoir in the Bordubi area.

In response to the crisis, Oil India Limited (OIL) swiftly filed a First Information Report (FIR) with the local police and notified the District Administration Authority. The uncontrolled flow of well fluids, mainly water, was a significant cause for concern, leading to the mobilization of the Crisis Management Team (CMT) by OIL.

The CMT, in collaboration with local authorities, immediately launched a series of emergency measures to mitigate the situation. Fire tenders were deployed to the site to control the flow of water and prevent any further environmental impact. The well was successfully capped, and normal operations are set to be restored as part of the ongoing efforts.

Also read : Assam: Oil India Limited successfully regains control after vandalism in Duliajan well