680 kg PDS rice seized in Bantwal

Mangaluru: Officials seized 679.3 kg of rice from the public distribution system (PDS) allegedly stored illegally in an autorickshaw at Shivaji Nagar in Vittal Kasaba village of Bantwal taluk Saturday.Food inspector Prashant Shetty, along with office staff, PSI Ramakrishna and police personnel, inspected an autorickshaw parked in the courtyard of a house and found 15 bags of rice.The accused, Ali Akbar, 40, allegedly admitted to storing the rice illegally. Police said the seized stock, packed in 15 plastic bags, was valued at Rs 23,098.A case has been registered at Vittal police station under sections 3 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act and Section 18 of the Public Distribution System (Control) Order. Further investigation is on.