Bihar Police have arrested three individuals in Gopalganj district and seized 50 grams of the highly valuable radioactive substance, Californium. The seizure, which took place on Thursday in the Balthari area, is valued at several crores of rupees.
Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended the suspects. “Police nabbed all the three from Balthari area under the jurisdiction of Kuchaikot Police station on Thursday. During interrogation, 50 gm of expensive radioactive substance ‘Californium’ and four mobile phones were recovered,” a police statement said. Authorities have informed the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and called in forensic experts to examine the substance. According to reports, the seized Californium costs around Rs 850 crore in the international market.
The main smuggler, Chhote Lal, is from Parsouni village in the Tamkuhi Raj police station area of Kushinagar district. His accomplices, Chandan Gupta and Chandan Ram, both hail from Gopalganj district in Bihar. The trio, who worked as laborers, is believed to be involved in the illegal transport and sale of the radioactive substance.
Californium is used in starting nuclear reactors, optimizing coal power plants, cancer treatment, and oil drilling.