Cooch Behar, Jan. 5: The sole supplier of fuel to police in Dinhata subdivision has threatened to stop supply till the dues, amounting to Rs 24 lakh, are paid.

Owner of Dinhata Automobile Sudeb Pal said: ?I have been supplying fuel to the police on credit for a long time but I will stop supply if my dues are not cleared.?

According to official sources, the district police need 20,000 litre of diesel and 4,000 litre of petrol every month.

?The number of police outposts has gone up and so has the area under our jurisdiction. The monthly allotment of fuel, however, has remained the same for years leading to the funds crunch,? a senior police official said.

The official added that the district police is allocated Rs 3.61 lakh per month for buying fuel, while they actually have to purchase fuel worth Rs 4.45 lakh.

District superintendent of police Jagmohan, however, brushed aside fears of scarcity of fuel for police vehicles.