Patna: In a significant crackdown on illegal sand mining, police seized three trucks loaded with unauthorized sand during a late-night raid in the Ranitalab police station area of Patna district on Wednesday. The operation was conducted based on a tip-off regarding illegal transportation of sand.
Details of the Raid
A police team led by Paliganj SDPO-2, Pankaj Kumar Sharma, laid a trap near Janpara village under Ranitalab police station. Upon stopping and inspecting the suspicious trucks, authorities found that all three were carrying sand without valid documents or mining challans. The vehicles were immediately seized and brought to the Ranitalab police station. However, the operators managed to escape under the cover of darkness, and no arrests have been made so far.
Legal Action Taken
After the seizure, the mining department was promptly informed. A team from the department arrived at the police station and, after verifying the documents, filed an FIR against the three trucks under sections related to illegal mining and transport. The department also imposed a hefty legal fine of Rs 36 lakh on the vehicle owners and the mining mafia involved, as confirmed by SDPO-2 Pankaj Kumar Sharma.
This action underscores the ongoing efforts to curb illegal sand mining in the region, which has been a persistent issue affecting the environment and legal mining operations.
