Duliajan police have successfully apprehended four suspects who allegedly caused a major oil spillage at oil shaft numbered NHK-67 under Oil India Limited (OIL) in Assam's Duliajan recently.

According to the OIL, an "X-Mas Tree" flow control valve assembly installed at NHK-67 was vandalised by the miscreants with the aim of pilfering oil. As a result of the vandalism, fluid like substances most of which was water, spilled out uncontrollably from the slit cut by the miscreants.

The four suspects have been identified as Mithu Nayak, Sanjeev Munda, Sanjeet Munda, and Saiful Ali.

The OIL, in an official communiqué, had informed that the incident took place on October 19, at around 9:30 pm at Gazal Basti near Duliajan. The district administration was informed about the leakage by the company who also filed a complaint at the local police station regarding the matter, it added.

It may be noted that the oil shaft which comes under the Bordubi oilfields, has been inoperative since 2016. The crisis management department is actively monitoring the situation and has kept several personnel of OIL's fire-fighting department stationed at a safe distance from the site of the oil spillage, the communique further stated.

Workers of OIL are on hand and trying and stop the fluid gushing out of the slit. An on-site task force has been set up by OIL which is monitoring the situation on the ground and communicating with the authorities on controlling the fluid gush and trying to mend the damaged area.

Meanwhile, the suspects are currently being interrogated to unearth further linkages.