Wells in northwestern India fill with petrol after thieves tap pipeline

Wells in northwestern India fill with petrol after thieves tap pipeline

Illegal pipeline tapping in northwestern India has filled wells with petrol damaging crops and killing wildlife.

Illegal pipeline tapping in northwestern India has filled wells with petrol damaging crops and killing wildlife.

Farmers in Saswad village in Maharashtra were horrified earlier this week to find their water sources had turned reddish-brown and had frogs, birds and fish floating dead on the surface.

Crops that are irrigated from the same wells were damaged, according to local reports.

Police discovered thieves had drilled holes in a nearby pipeline owned by the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and made off with the fuel.

The criminals, however, allowed around 2,000 litres of petrol to spill into the local area.

Police have cordoned off the scene and are emptying the wells using pumps.

Petrol prices have hit record highs across India in recent days.