A leak in a pipeline of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) in Bihar’s Khagaria on Tuesday prompted villagers to rush to the site and run away with bucketfuls of oil.

The incident occurred at Bakiya Farre village where the villagers were seen collecting the leaking crude oil since morning without realising that the sticky, dark liquid can’t be used in daily life.

“The IOCL pipeline has leaked and oil was flowing out into an agriculture field. A large number of villagers rushed to collect it. However, it is crude oil, not petrol or diesel,” Khagaria superintendent of police Amitesh Kumar said.

“A police team rushed to the spot and controlled the situation. The place of leak has been cordoned off. The crowd has also been controlled. Local administrative officials are at the spot. We have informed the IOCL authorities,” Kumar added.

Chauthan station house officer Abhay Kumar Tiwari said the oil was leaking into a maize farm.

“The soil has been dug up there. It seems somebody did it deliberately. This must have been done either in the preceding night or early in the morning. Very few people venture into the field early in the morning in this harsh winter,” Tiwari said. Tiwari said IOCL officials were conducting an inquiry.

“The leak has not been stopped because a team of experts is arriving from Siliguri. They will reach here late at night,” he added.

The pipeline connects the Barauni refinery to Haldia.