Two persons were arrested at Bhachau in Gandhidham taluka of Kutch district after they were trying to sell of 25 bags of groundnut allegedly stolen from a government-run godown, police said on Sunday.

The two men Salim Kumbhar and Sadik Kumbhar, both residents of Gandhidham town were detained by Bhachau police on Friday when they were trying to sell the 25 bags of groundnut. Noticing the markings and logos on the bags, police suspected that the oilseed stock could have been stolen from somewhere and they informed officers of the Gujarat State Warehousing Corporation (GSWC). The officers of GSWC confirmed that the stock originated from one of their godowns at Mithi Rohar village near Gandhidham, and filed a complaint. On the basis of the complaint, we have arrested Salim and Sadik and seized the groundnut bags and rickshaw.One Bhanji Koli has also been booked for house trespass and theft,Bhavin Suthar, Inspector of A Division police in Gandhidham told The Indian Express on Sunday.

A security guard of the godown is also being questioned in connection with the theft, he said.Police said that following the seizure of 25 bags of groundnut, worth Rs 43,000, the GSWC undertook an audit of stock of groundnut stored in its 14 warehouses in Shekahrwadi area of Mithi Rohar and found 25 bags less in stock at Shekhar godown number -VIII.Salim and Sadik are chhakado-rickshaw drivers. While Koli lives near Shekhar godown, his father-in-law is employed as a security guard at the godown. The accused broke open the rear shutter of the godown on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday and drove away with 25 bags of groundnut,he said.

Police said that the groundnut stored at Shekhar godown was procured by Central government from farmers of Gujarat at minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 4,500 per quintal.

The incident comes a week after a huge stock of groundnut, procured by the Centre, caught fire in a godown in Gondal taluka of Rajkot district. A month ago, a government godown had caught fire in Gandhidham town in which stocks of groundnut was damaged.