Thieves squirrel away wheat from 10 acres of Army fields

BAREILLY: This theft will have the Army fuming. Wheat crop on 10 acres of a military camp at Alampur Zafrabad in Bareilly has gone missing. What's more, army officials are clueless about the loss.

The crop robbery only came to light when officials began the routine procedure of auctioning crops through an open bidding system. An FIR has now been lodged and investigations are on to nab the rather peculiar culprits.

Authorities of the Defence Estate Office, Bareilly division, had recently invited bids for auctioning of wheat and mentha crops on 16.50 acres of defence land at Zafrabad Alampur grounds and Bhojipura defence farm.

Sources said a defence contractor had sown wheat on 10 acres in the Zafrabad Alampur camping ground and the security and upkeep of the crop had been made the responsibility of the defence estate office. There were also watch-and-ward staff attached to the animal battalion to ensure the crops were safe.

Auction of the crop had initially been fixed for April 22, and bids were accepted in the presence of officials of the defence estate department. Of seven bidders, the name of a resident of the area was chosen for his bid of Rs 35,000. However, the defence estate directorate, sources say, asked officials in Bareilly to re-conduct the auction. The fresh date then fell on Wednesday last.

When officials and prospective bidders went to the site in the Zafrabad Alampur camping ground, they were shocked to see that wheat crop on at least 10 acres of defence land had already been harvested and taken away! The bidders left in a huff, and officials went into a tizzy.

Army officials then lodged a complaint with the police. Station officer Rakesh Yadav of the Bhamaura police station said, "A complaint has been received on behalf of the defence estate office informing us about the illegal harvest of wheat crop from defence land at Zafrabad Alampur camping ground. The matter is being investigated."

Defence estate officer AK Neema said crop on 10 acres had been lost. He said fresh dates for auction of the produce elsewhere had been advertised in all leading newspapers".

TOI perused details of the advertisement to find that the defence estate department has now fixed May 11 for auction of mentha crop grown on 2.5 acres of defence land in Alampur Zafrabad and wheat on four acres at the Bhojipura camping ground. There is no mention of the wheat on 10 acres at Zafrabad Alampur camping ground.