Gadwal: Ration Rice Mafia Resurfaces
The illegal ration rice trade, which had quieted down for some time in Gadwal district, has once again come to life. Previously, these groups would directly collect rice from the public. Now, they’re using a new tactic—working with dealers who act as fronts, known as benami dealers. These dealers collect rice and transport it to rice mills. There, they give a portion to the government under the Centralized Monitoring and Reporting (CMR) system, while the rest is smuggled out of the state using trucks.
Allegations have been raised that some officers, like the police and enforcement officials, who are supposed to stop this illegal activity, are actually helping the mafia. Even though a few cases are filed occasionally, the illegal trade continues without much interruption.
Reports suggest that when vehicles are caught at border checkpoints, they are often released after bribes are paid. The bribes can range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 10 lakhs, depending on the size of the load. Some routes are even allowed to operate freely in exchange for regular monthly payments. A policeman named Krishnayya was suspended on October 4 because of accusations that he supported the ration rice mafia.
Ration Shops Involved
There are 333 ration shops in the Gadwal district. Many of these shops don’t have regular dealers, so one person often manages three to five shops. Right now, 54 people are in charge of multiple shops, and many of them are benami operators. These benami operators buy large amounts of ration rice and move it to rice mills using trucks. They even rent extra shops next to their ration shops to store the rice before moving it.
When asked about the issue, Gadwal Circle Inspector (CI) Srinivasulu said, “I have just started my duty here, but no matter how powerful the people behind this mafia are, we will take strict action. We will set up a special task force to stop the illegal transportation of rice. I also urge the public not to sell their ration rice to anyone.”
Rice Mills at the Heart of the Problem
Rice mills in and around Gadwal town, especially those near highways in the Alampur constituency, have become central to this illegal trade. The mafia rents these mills to store rice collected by the benami dealers. From there, some of the rice is smuggled into Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
In the Jogulamba Gadwal district, cases are still being filed against people involved in the smuggling. On October 1, 50 quintals of rice were seized from the Padmavathi Srinivas Rice Industry on the outskirts of Jinkalapalli village, and a case was registered. A day earlier, 130 quintals of rice were confiscated by the police in Undavalli. Recently, police also seized 23 quintals of rice near Pothulupadu village, which were being smuggled across the state border.
The authorities are trying to crack down on this illegal activity, but the problem persists.
