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

Bihar police arrested three people in Gopalganj district, seizing 50 grams of suspected californium, a radioactive material valued at Rs 850 crore. The operation involved multiple police units. Investigations and forensic analysis of the confiscated substance are ongoing.

In a significant breakthrough, Bihar police have arrested three individuals and confiscated 50 grams of a substance believed to be californium, a highly radioactive material valued at approximately Rs 850 crore. The arrests were made in Kuchaikote, Gopalganj district, following a tip-off.

According to police reports, the operation was executed by teams from the Special Task Force (STF), Special Operations Group (SOG), and District Intelligence Unit (DIU). The confiscated material is commonly used in nuclear reactors for power generation and in the treatment of severe diseases such as brain cancer.

The detained individuals have been identified as Chhotelal Prasad of Tamkuhiraj in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, Chandan Kumar Gupta, and Chandan Ram, both from Gopalganj. Along with the suspected californium, authorities seized four mobile phones and a motorcycle. Superintendent of Police (SP) Swarn Prabhat confirmed that a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team would analyze the material while the Department of Atomic Energy has been informed. The authenticity of the seized substance remains under investigation.