Odisha Police Nab 10 Suspects in Illegal Mining Operation After Tehsildar Seriously Injured
In a significant crackdown, police in Kendrapada, Odisha, arrested ten individuals on Sunday for their alleged involvement in illegal mining of minor minerals. The arrests followed a violent incident where a tractor reportedly ran over and seriously injured a tehsildar during a raid in Jajpur district on Saturday.
Details of the Violent Confrontation
The victim, Prasana Kumar Panda, aged 53 and serving as the Vyasanagar tehsildar, sustained severe injuries after being struck by a tractor transporting illegally excavated soil. The alarming event occurred at Meena Bazaar Chowk, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Korei police station.
Local residents initially rushed Panda to the community health centre in Korei for urgent medical attention. Due to the gravity of his condition, he was subsequently transferred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment.
FIR and Police Investigation
On Sunday, Itishree Senapati, the revenue inspector of Tulati revenue circle, filed a formal complaint at the Korei police station. According to the FIR, Senapati and Tehsildar Panda had traveled to Fazalpur village to investigate reports of illegal soil excavation.
Near Meena Bazaar, they discovered two excavators and five tractors engaged in unauthorized digging and transportation of soil. When the officials attempted to halt these illegal activities, one tractor driver accelerated at high speed directly toward them.
Senapati stated in her complaint that the tractor intentionally ran over Tehsildar Panda with the apparent aim to kill him. While Panda suffered injuries to his leg and other body parts, Senapati managed to narrowly escape harm.
Arrests and Legal Proceedings
Acting swiftly on the complaint, police launched an immediate investigation which led to the arrest of ten suspects on Sunday. Rakesh Tripathy, the Inspector-in-Charge of Korei police station, identified the arrested individuals as:
- Hidyatula Khan
- Majit Ahamat Khan
- Kirttan Jena
- Manir Mohammad
- Sk Chanda
- Pinkun Penthei
- Jitendra Behera
- Sk Sahil
- Mitu Pariada
- Sk Nayat, the tractor driver accused of attempting to kill the tehsildar
The accused were presented before the court at Jajpur Road on Sunday. The court denied their bail applications and ordered them to be placed in judicial custody, underscoring the seriousness of the charges.
Broader Context of Illegal Mining in the District
This violent episode has once again spotlighted the escalating issue of illegal sand and soil mining within the district. Amarbar Biswal, a local social worker, alleged that sand mafia groups persistently plunder riverbeds without obtaining necessary permissions from authorities.
Officially, sand mining operations are permitted in only approximately 45 designated reaches along the river beds of Jajpur district. However, Biswal pointed out that there are around 75 locations where illegal sand extraction is routinely conducted by these mafia networks.
The incident raises urgent concerns about law enforcement challenges and environmental degradation linked to unauthorized mineral extraction activities in the region.
