Bihar Police Seize Suspected Californium Worth Rs 850 Crores, Arrest Three

Bihar police have arrested three individuals with a substance suspected to be californium worth Rs 850 crores. The operation involved multiple police units and the Department of Atomic Energy has been notified. Further investigation is ongoing to confirm the substance's authenticity.

The Bihar police have apprehended three men in possession of 50 grams of a suspected radioactive substance, believed to be californium, with an estimated market value of Rs 850 crores. The arrests occurred in Kuchaikote, located in Bihar's Gopalganj district, on Friday.

Police sources confirmed that the operation was executed by the Special Task Force (STF), Special Operations Group (SOG), and District Intelligence Unit (DIU) following a tip-off about the trafficking of the valuable material. The suspected californium is critical for both nuclear reactors and cancer treatment. Those arrested include Chhotelal Prasad from Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, alongside Chandan Kumar Gupta and Chandan Ram from Gopalganj.

Authorities also seized four mobile phones and a motorcycle in connection with the case. Superintendent of Police (SP) Swarn Prabhat announced that a special Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team will scrutinize the substance, and the Department of Atomic Energy has been notified. The investigation continues to verify the material's authenticity.