The Nabarangpur Police on Sunday unearthed a huge stock of allegedly-stashed rice bags meant for mid-day meals from an under construction private building in Keshariguda in Nandahandi block of the district.
Acting on reliable information on illegal amassment of the rice bags, Nabarangpur Tehsildar and police reached the spot and raided the private building to detect the truth behind the allegations.
Nearly 564 gunny bags of rice were found stocked in two rooms of the building during the raid.
The district administration officials later handed over the seized rice stocks to the Additional Block Education Officer (ABEO) for the smooth conduct of mid-day meal scheme in the schools.
Nabrangpur Tehsildar Rabindra Rout said an investigation is underway to ascertain as to how such a massive haul of rice stocks came to the building and who are behind it. "The seized amount of rice will be used to enhance the MDM scheme in the block for the betterment of students," said Rout.
The ABEO said that the authorities had no idea about the hoarding of rice but only came to know about it after getting information from the Block Education Officer.
Meanwhile, a partner of the rice provider has denied the allegations of illegally stockpiling the rice. He clarified that the rice was lifted before the expiry of the government deadline on January 25 and was kept at the building in safe condition so that it could be dispatched to various schools after the holiday on Sunday.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)