North 24 Parganas, 3 June (H.S.):

In the hope of getting good prices, traders had sent a truck loaded with eight tonnes of ripe Himsagar mangoes to Bihar. On the way, the driver and two helpers suddenly disappeared. The truck loaded with mangoes is also missing. As per information, the police of Matia police station of North 24 Parganas district has initiated an investigation into the incident. According to police and local sources, mango traders of Banki Bazar under Matia police station of Basirhat hired a lorry on Sunday night and loaded eight tonnes of high-quality Himsagar mangoes in it. These mangoes are in great demand in the market of Bihar. While sending the truck, the traders had given ₹25 thousand cash to the driver and two helpers as travel expenses. The truck loaded with mangoes was to reach Bethuabazar in Bihar on Monday evening. When mango traders inquired there, they came to know that the truck loaded with mangoes had not reached that market. Then they called the mobile phones of the driver and two helpers. But it was found that their mobile phones were switched off. The mango truck is now missing. The traders had assured the mango farmers that they would pay the price of the mangoes on Monday night. They are upset as the mango truck has disappeared. They have lodged a complaint against the truck owner and the driver at Matia police station. Mango trader Murtaza Mollah said, We sent eight tonnes of ripe Himsagar mangoes in a truck after contacting the traders of Bihar. We also gave ₹25,000 to the driver and two sailors for the expenses incurred on the way. But those three did not go to Bihar with the mango truck. Their mobile phones are switched off. We believe that all three conspired to make the truck disappear. The police have started investigating the incident.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey